SCOTLAND

Termination of Employment

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on how many occasions (a) a compromise agreement, (b) a confidentiality clause and (c) judicial mediation was used when an employee of his Department left their employment in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12 and (iii) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office does not employ staff directly. All staff are assigned to the office on a secondment type arrangement from other Government bodies, principally the Scottish Government and the Ministry of Justice, which remain the employers.

WALES

Fracking

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the effect on Wales of Government policies on shale gas extraction.

Stephen Crabb: Shale gas may have the potential to provide the UK, and Wales, with greater energy security and economic benefits but exploration of its potential is still at a very early stage.
	We have made clear that any future shale gas production would have to meet stringent safety and environmental standards and would require consultation with local communities before approval could be given. It is important to have a diverse mix of energy sources to ensure our future energy security. It is hoped that shale gas will be able to help provide a contribution in this respect, alongside other energy generation sources that are currently being developed in Wales.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Written Questions

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, 
	(1)  how many written parliamentary questions were tabled on each of the last 100 sitting days,
	(2)  how many written parliamentary questions were tabled on average on each sitting day in each of the last five parliamentary years.

John Thurso: A table showing the number of questions tabled on each of the last 100 sitting days has been deposited in the Library of the House.
	The number of written parliamentary questions per sitting day in each of the last five parliamentary sessions was as follows:
	
		
			 Parliamentary session Sitting days WPQs tabled Number of WPQs tabled per sitting day 
			 Session 2007-08 (6 November 2007 to 26 November 2008) 165 75,000 455 
			 Session 2008-09 (3 December 2008 to 12 November 2009) 136 57,054 420 
			 Session 2009-10 (18 November 2009 to 8 April 2010) 69 24,093 349 
			 Session 2010-12 (25 May 2010 to 1 May 2012) 295 98,256 333 
			 Session 2012-13 (9 May 2012 to 25 April 2013) 145 42,804 295 
		
	
	Information is not readily available to disaggregate questions tabled on sitting and non-sitting days over the period.

JUSTICE

Prisoners: Older People

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health to ensure that older inmates are given adequate support to meet their health requirements whilst in UK prisons.

Norman Lamb: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department of Health.
	Improving offender health outcomes for prisoners of all ages is a cross-Government objective, with regular discussions and information sharing taking place between Health and Justice Departments at ministerial and senior official levels.
	The Health and Social Care Act 2012 confers a legal duty on NHS England to commission prison health services. NHS England is required to promote the NHS Constitution and deliver the Government's November 2012 Mandate. The Secretary of State holds NHS England to account, measuring performance against the NHS Outcomes Framework.
	The Framework identifies the following priority areas, applicable to older prisoners, where we expect particular progress to be made: improving standards of care and treatment, especially for older people and at the end of people's lives; the diagnosis, treatment and care of people with dementia; supporting people with multiple long-term physical and mental health conditions, and preventing premature deaths from the biggest killers such as heart disease and cancer.

Social Security Benefits: Appeals

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of appeals to the Tribunals Service regarding (a) disability living allowance, (b) employment and support allowance, (c) income support, (d) jobseeker’s allowance and (e) tax credits were successful in (i) each quarter in 2012 and (ii) the latest period for which figures are available from appellants in (A) Coventry, (B) the west midlands and (C) England.

Helen Grant: The following table shows the proportion of appeals regarding (a) disability living allowance, (b) employment and support allowance, (c) income support, (d) jobseeker’s allowance and (e) tax credits which were decided in favour of the appellant in (A) Coventry (B) the west midlands and (C) Great Britain in each quarter in 2012 (the latest period for which figures are available).
	It has not been possible in the time available to separate the data for England alone; therefore I have provided the figures for Great Britain. I will write to the right hon. Member with the figures for England as soon as these are available and place a copy in the Library of the House.
	
		
			 Percentage of appeals decided in favour of the appellant in each quarter of 2012 
			   2012 
			  Appeal type January to March April to June July to September October to December 
			 Coventry DLA 42 51 47 43 
			  ESA 37 35 35 49 
			  IS 33 36 33 38 
			  JSA 14 36 20 17 
			  Tax credit 0 25 0 56 
			  Overall 38 40 37 42 
			       
			 West Midlands(1) DLA 32 32 37 35 
			  ESA 36 34 35 39 
			  IS 31 30 28 36 
			  JSA 14 20 20 25 
			  Tax credit 13 20 15 33 
			  Overall 32 32 32 36 
			       
			 Great Britain DLA 42 42 41 41 
			  ESA 42 42 42 42 
			  IS 26 27 26 27 
			  JSA 15 15 16 17 
			  Tax credit 16 22 21 23 
			  Overall 36 37 37 38 
			 (1) West Midlands includes appeals heard at Birmingham, Coventry, Hereford, Kidderminster, Leamington Spa, Nuneaton, Solihull, Stoke, Walsall, Wolverhampton and Worcester venues. Notes: 1. The above data are taken from management information in line with published statistics. 2. The very small number of tax credit appeals at Coventry venues (10 in January to March 2012 and none in July to September 2012) means that the percentage appears as 0 in some instances. Similarly, due to the small number of appeals, a single case can make a significant difference to the percentages.

Travel

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many officials in (a) his Department and (b) the non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible claimed reimbursement for travel subsistence expenses in each of the last five years; what the total cost was of such claims; and what the monetary value was of the 20 highest subsistence claims in each such year.

Helen Grant: Information on the number of officials who have claimed reimbursement for travel subsistence expenses, and the monetary value of the 20 highest subsistence claims for the last five years is not held centrally. To obtain this information would require a manual inspection of each expense claim form from the last five years which would incur disproportionate cost.
	In line with Government's objective to increase transparency, the Department publishes a wide range of information on departmental spending, including expenditure on travel and subsistence. This can be accessed via the Ministry of Justice annual report and accounts.
	Expenditure on travel and subsistence as shown in the annual report and accounts for the last five years can be accessed via the following links:
	2011-12:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/16225/moj-annual-report-accounts-2011-12.pdf.pdf1
	The tables on page 107 and 108 under the headings of ‘travel, subsistence and hospitality’ and ‘travel and subsistence’ provide a breakdown on spend for MOJ Core, Executive agencies and NDPBs.
	Expenditure on travel and subsistence for MOJ’s NDPBs was only included in the accounts from 2011-12 onwards in line with the requirement for Government Department accounts to be produced under the clear line of sight initiative. Information on travel and subsistence costs for NDPBs prior to 2011-12 is not held centrally and would incur disproportionate cost to provide.
	2010-11:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/162225/moj-annual-report-accounts-2011-12.pdf.pdf1
	The tables on page 133 and 134 under the heading ‘travel and subsistence’ provide a breakdown on spend for the Core Department and the consolidated figure for the Department as a whole.
	2009-10:
	http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/hc1011/hc01/0194/0194.pdf
	The tables on page 97 and 98 under the heading ‘travel and subsistence’ provide a breakdown on spend for the Core Department and the consolidated figure for the Department as a whole.
	2008-09:
	http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/cm76/7600/7600.pdf
	The tables on page 92 and 93 under the heading ‘travel, subsistence and hospitality’ provide a breakdown on spend for the Core Department and the consolidated figure for the Department as a whole.
	2007-08:
	http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/cm76/7600/7600.pdf
	The tables on page 108 and 109 under the heading ‘travel, subsistence and hospitality’ provide a breakdown on spend for the Core Department and the consolidated figure for the Department as a whole.

Unpaid Fines: Greater London

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the total value of court fines and confiscation orders (a) paid and (b) remaining unpaid was in London in (i) 2011-12, (ii) 2012-13 and (iii) 2013-14 to date; and if he will make a statement.

Helen Grant: Nationally in 2011-12 a total of £279 million was collected against fines and related impositions. This figure is £20 million higher than collected in 2009-10. In 2010-11 this figure was £282 million which was a record high. In the same period, HM Courts and Tribunals Service was the lead enforcement agency for 5,543 confiscation orders, of which 4,471 were satisfied, which represents an 81% success rate.
	The value of financial impositions and confiscation orders paid and outstanding in London is set out in the following table:
	
		
			  £  
			  Financial impositions(1) Confiscation orders Details 
			 Total collected 2011-12(2) 46,163,532 37,090,158 — 
			     
			 Total balance outstanding 2011-12(3) 169,791,595 257,570,412 Without interest 
			   334,351,854 With interest 
			     
			 Total collected 2012-13(2) (April 2012 to December 2012)(4) 38,514,605 31,297,443.00 — 
			     
			 Total balance outstanding 2012-13(3) (April 2012 to December 2012)(4) 161,842,365 320,778,748 Without interest 
			   416,739,412 With interest 
			 (1) Financial impositions include fines, cost orders, compensation orders and victim surcharge orders. (2) The amount collected in the period can relate to impositions from that year or any previous year. (3) The balance outstanding includes the balance on all accounts regardless of imposition date and accounts that are being paid by instalments and accounts that were not due for payment by the end of period. (4) The total amount collected and total amount outstanding for 2012-13 relates to the period of April 2012 to December 2012 as the latest published data. Data for the period from January 2013 to March 2013 will be published as part of the Court Statistics Quarterly on 20 June 2013. Note: Data for the period April 2013 to date has not yet been published. 
		
	
	Of the £416,739,412 outstanding in relation to confiscation orders, about a half is money that cannot be collected. The sum of money that cannot be collected comprises of around £29.3 million (7%) which relates to individuals who are deceased, deported or who cannot be located; around £36.6 million (8.7%) that relates to orders which are being appealed and cannot be enforced while under appeal; and about £74 million (17.7%) that relates to orders where following the conclusion of financial forensic investigations the assets have been assessed as hidden. Nearly £97 million (23.2%) is interest which has accrued on confiscation orders which are outside the agreed payment terms.
	We recognise that more must be done to tackle this outstanding debt. We are taking a tough approach to fine-dodgers and improving the rate of collection as an absolute priority. The Ministry of Justice is working closely with the Home Office, Crown Prosecution Service, the Serious Fraud Office and others to improve enforcement. We are taking every action to tackle outstanding debt through targeted fine blitzes, by making more deductions from offenders' earnings or benefits and through seizing and selling their goods.
	Criminals go to extraordinary lengths to hide the proceeds of their crimes by transferring funds abroad and disguising it with friends and family, but we are succeeding in recovering more money every year. The Serious Fraud Office and the CPS work hard to enforce the small number of high value confiscation orders which remain outstanding. They are building better relationships with overseas authorities to help track down hidden assets and are working closely to continue to recover as much money as possible.
	Crucially, an outstanding order stops the criminal from using the proceeds of crime for personal gain or further criminal activity. If they ever surface they will be seized.
	HMCTS is also looking to work with an external provider to help reduce the cost of collection and to increase the payment of fines and confiscation orders it is responsible for. This will bring the necessary investment and technology HM Courts and Tribunals Service needs to achieve its aspirations for compliance and enforcement services in the future.

Work Capability Assessment: Appeals

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people successfully appealed against a work capability assessment decision in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland and (c) South Lanarkshire in 2011-12.

Helen Grant: The First-tier Tribunal—Social Security and Child Support (SSCS), administered by HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) hears appeals against Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) decisions on entitlement to employment and support allowance (ESA) (decisions in which the work capability assessment (WCA) is a key factor) rather than appeals against WCA decisions themselves.
	The SSCS Tribunal covers Great Britain but not Northern Ireland, which has its own Appeals Service. The tribunal venue in Hamilton serves appellants living in South Lanarkshire as well as other nearby locations.
	A combination of reasons can lead to a decision being overturned on appeal. For example a hearing may generate additional evidence, in particular oral evidence, provided by the appellant at the hearing.
	HMCTS and DWP are working closely together to improve the process for decision making and appeals. As the hon. Member is aware, in July 2012, working with the Tribunal’s judiciary, HMCTS introduced a revised decision notice in the SSCS Tribunal to provide feedback on reasons for overturned DWP decisions.
	In April 2013 DWP introduced mandatory reconsideration for universal credit and personal independence payment, which will be extended to all other DWP administered benefits and child maintenance cases from October 2013. The mandatory reconsideration process results in a linear, escalating process for claimants wishing to dispute decisions. The decision maker will contact the claimant to provide an explanation of the decision under dispute and encourage the claimant to provide any additional information or evidence that may change the decision. This will ensure DWP has an opportunity to resolve disputes at an early stage.
	The following tables show the number and proportion of ESA appeals, where WCA was a factor, separated into those in which the tribunal found in favour of the appellant, and those in favour of the DWP, between April 2011 to March 2012 in (a) Great Britain, (b) Scotland, and (c) Hamilton tribunal venue.
	
		
			 Employment and support allowance appeals where work capability assessment was a factor—Great Britain 
			   Decisions in favour of the appellant Decisions in favour of DWP 
			  Cleared at hearing(1) No. % No. % 
			 April 2011 to March 2012 159,775 63,288 40 95,624 60 
		
	
	
		
			 Employment and support allowance appeals where work capability assessment was a factor—Scotland 
			   Decisions in favour of the appellant Decisions in favour of DWP 
			  Cleared at hearing(1) No. % No. % 
			 April 2011 to March 2012 21,791 9,317 43 12,265 56 
		
	
	
		
			 Employment and support allowance appeals where work capability assessment was a factor—Hamilton tribunal venue 
			   Decisions in favour of the appellant Decisions in favour of DWP 
			  Cleared at hearing(1) No. % No. % 
			 April 2011 to March 2012 2,505 950 38 1,531 61 
			 (1) These are cases that were disposed of at a hearing. The total number of cases cleared at hearing includes some cases that were withdrawn and on which no decision was made. These figures therefore are not the sum total of decisions in favour and decisions upheld. Note: Data are taken from management information.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Arable Farming

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what estimate his Department has made of the average size of an arable farm in England in each of the last 10 years;
	(2)  what estimate his Department has made of the average income of an arable farmer in England in each of the last 10 years.

David Heath: Estimates of Farm Business Income for cereal farms and general cropping farms in England are displayed in the following tables alongside average farm sizes.
	
		
			 Table 1: Incomes and areas of cereal farms in England, 2003-04 to 2012-13 
			  Farm business income 
			  At current prices (£) In real terms (at 2012-13 prices) (£) Area (ha) 
			 2003-04 50,000 67,500 221 
			 2004-05 29,000 38,000 215 
			 2005-06 29,000 37,000 213 
			 2006-07 46,000 56,500 216 
			 2007-08 73,500 86,500 215 
			 2008-09 69,500 79,500 210 
			 2009-10 46,000 52,500 210 
			 2009-10(1) 42,000 48,000 182 
			 2010-11 85,000 92,500 194 
		
	
	
		
			 2011-12 94,500 98,000 194 
			 2012-13(2) 84,000 84,000 198 
			 (1) Farm type classification changed from 'standard gross margins' (SGM) typology to standard outputs (SO) typology. (2) Provisional forecast made in January 2013. Note: Farms shown here are restricted to those with a Standard Output of at least €25,000 (from 2009-10) or Standard Labour Requirement of at least 0.5 (2009-10 and before). Sources: Incomes: Farm Business Survey Area: June Survey of Agriculture and Horticulture 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Incomes and areas of general cropping farms in England, 2003-04 to 2012-13 
			  Farm business income 
			  At current prices (£) In real terms (at 2012-13 prices) (£) Area (ha) 
			 2003-04 66,000 89,000 210 
			 2004-05 42,500 55,500 209 
			 2005-06 37,000 47,000 201 
			 2006-07 62,000 76,500 202 
			 2007-08 81,000 95,500 206 
			 2008-09 96,000 109,500 202 
			 2009-10 66,000 75,500 207 
			 2009-10(1) 66,500 76,000 201 
			 2010-11 111,500 121,500 203 
			 2011-12 101,000 104,500 201 
			 2012-13(2) 90,000 90,000 199 
			 (1) Farm type classification changed from 'standard gross margins' (SGM) typology to standard outputs (SO) typology. (2) Provisional forecast made in January 2013. Note: Farms shown here are restricted to those with a Standard Output of at least €25,000 (from 2009-10) or Standard Labour Requirement of at least 0.5 (2009-10 and before). Sources: Area: June Survey of Agriculture and Horticulture Incomes: Farm Business Survey 
		
	
	For sole traders and partnerships, Farm Business Income represents the financial return to all unpaid labour (farmers and spouses, non-principal partners and directors and their spouses and family workers) and on all their capital invested in the farm business, including land and buildings. For corporate businesses it represents the financial return on the shareholders capital invested in the farm business. Single farm payment and other subsidies are included. The estimate represents specialist dairy farms, although some income shown above will come from non-dairy enterprises on the farm business. Incomes received by dairy farmers from sources external to the farm business are not included. Prior to 2008-09, directors' remuneration was not deducted in the calculation of Farm Business Income.

Gangmasters Licensing Authority

Shaun Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will give consideration to expanding the remit of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority to include (a) courier firms and (b) other smaller industries to ensure they are given their full employment rights and are protected against the use of bogus self-employment contracts.

David Heath: The Government has no plans to extend the remit of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) to additional sectors.
	Licensing can be an appropriate response to particular problems in particular sectors, but that does not mean it is appropriate in all cases. The GLA is currently implementing changes enabling it to enforce protections for vulnerable workers in agriculture and food processing. This is being implemented through better targeting of seriously non-compliant and criminal operators whilst reducing burdens on compliant businesses.

Hill Farming

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what estimate his Department has made of the average size of a farm in English uplands in each of the last 10 years;
	(2)  what estimate his Department has made of the average income of an uplands farmer in England in each of the last 10 years.

David Heath: An estimate of Farm Business Income for upland farms in England is displayed in the following tables alongside average farm size.
	
		
			 Table 1: Incomes and areas of upland farms in England, 2003-04 to 2012-13 
			  Farm business income 
			  At current prices (£) In real terms (at 2012-13 prices) (£) Area (ha) 
			 2003-04 20,000 26,500 178 
			 2004-05 20,500 26,500 174 
			 2005-06 20,000 25,500 175 
			 2006-07 16,000 20,000 177 
			 2007-08 18,500 21,500 176 
			 2008-09 25,500 29,500 179 
			 2009-10 30,500 34,500 183 
			 2009-10(1) 34,000 39,000 188 
			 2010-11 30,000 32,500 195 
			 2011-12 37,000 38,500 198 
			 2012-13(2) 19,000 19,000 194 
			 (1) Farm type classification changed from 'standard gross margins' (SGM) typology to standard outputs (SO) typology. (2) Provisional forecast made in January 2013. Note: Upland farms are defined as being mainly in Severely Disadvantaged Areas (SDA). Farms shown here are restricted to those with a Standard Output of at least €25,000 (from 2009-10) or Standard Labour Requirement of at least 0.5 (2009-10 and before). Sources: Incomes: Farm Business Survey Area: June Survey of Agriculture and Horticulture 
		
	
	For sole traders and partnerships, Farm Business Income represents the financial return to all unpaid labour (farmers and spouses, non-principal partners and directors and their spouses and family workers) and on all their capital invested in the farm business, including land and buildings. For corporate businesses it represents the financial return on the shareholders capital invested in the farm business. Single farm payment and other subsidies are included. The estimate represents specialist dairy farms, although some income shown above will come from non-dairy enterprises on the farm business. Incomes received by dairy farmers from sources external to the farm business are not included. Prior to 2008-09, directors' remuneration was not deducted in the calculation of Farm Business Income.

DEFENCE

Armed Forces: Uniforms

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what involvement his Department has had with the VIRTUS combat body armour project; and if he will make a statement.

Philip Dunne: VIRTUS is a Ministry of Defence (MOD) project that will deliver an integrated physical protection and load carriage system for personnel operating in close combat roles across the armed forces. It will provide scalable protection for the head, torso and extremities. The project is currently in its assessment phase, with the main investment decision planned for late 2014. The MOD has hosted two events in 2013, in February and June, to explain the requirement in detail to those companies that had expressed an interest in participating in the project.

Armoured Fighting Vehicles

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department is taking to protect vehicles from blast attacks, particularly those that target the sides of vehicles.

Philip Dunne: The armed forces employ a layered approach to the protection of its vehicles in order to counter a range of threats including blasts. Physical protection includes armour as one of these layers. Physical protective measures are supplemented by layers that aim to reduce the likelihood of blast attacks occurring in the first place. These include the use of well developed tactics, techniques and procedures and the effective use of intelligence.

Army: Redundancy

Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what army redundancies have taken place in each region since May 2010.

Mark Francois: The following table shows the number of Regular Army and Gurkha redundancies by region between 1 May 2010 and 1 May 2013. Location data are based on where personnel were stationed when they left service.
	A number of personnel were made redundant on 11 June 2013; however, validated location data for these personnel will not be available until August 2013. Figures do not include those who have been notified of their redundancy in Tranche 3 of the Army redundancy scheme, of which applicants will leave the Army on or before 17 December 2013 and non-applicants on or before 17 June 2014.
	
		
			 Region Number of redundancies 
			 Total 2,840 
			 East Midlands 90 
			 East of England 210 
			 London 110 
			 North East 30 
			 North West 90 
			 Northern Ireland 90 
			 Scotland 100 
			 South East 740 
			 South West 620 
			 Wales 40 
			 West Midlands 120 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 300 
			 Non-UK 300 
			 of which: Germany 250 
			 Cyprus 20 
			 Note: Totals have been rounded in line with Defence Statistics rounding policy and may not therefore represent the sum of their parts. Source: Defence Statistics (Army)

British Forces Broadcasting Service

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what role the British Forces Broadcasting Service currently plays in civilian life; and whether he expects this role to change in the next five years.

Mark Francois: The British Forces Broadcasting Service is provided by the Services Sound and Vision Corporation (SSVC), which is both a private company limited by guarantee and a registered charity. It offers a range of services to entertain and inform the UK armed forces. Following a competition, SSVC was awarded a 10-year contract by the Ministry of Defence to deliver audio and audio visual services commencing in April 2013 to Defence personnel and dependents at locations in the UK and overseas. Decisions on other broadcast services that SSVC might offer that could be received by the general public are primarily a matter for SSVC's board of trustees.

Reserve Forces

John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the number of reservists in the (a) Territorial Army, (b) Royal Navy Reserves, (c) Royal Air Force Reserves and (d) Royal Marine Reserves for each of the next five years.

Mark Francois: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 12 February 2013, Official Report, column 635W, to the hon. Members for Plymouth, Moor View (Alison Seabeck), and for Houghton and Sunderland South (Bridget Phillipson).

Reserve Forces

John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the proportion of businesses willing to allow employees to take time off to undertake Reservist duties.

Mark Francois: As part of the consultation following the publication in November 2012 of the Green Paper on Future Reserves, we received responses from a wide range of employers and employer organisations. These are being considered as part of the Future Reserves 2020 White Paper which we intend to publish soon.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Antibiotics

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he had on antibiotic resistance at the G8 Science Ministers meeting on 12 June 2013.

David Willetts: There were substantive discussions on antibiotic resistance at the G8 Science Ministers meeting. After reviewing the evidence on the increase in antibiotic resistance we concluded that antimicrobial resistance is a serious global problem affecting humans, animals and the environment that has to be addressed by a wide ranging programme of work. Governments and the scientific community have an important role to play, at both a national and international level, in improving practice in all sectors and stimulating research. The main areas for action are set out in the ministerial statement at the following link:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/news/g8-science-ministers-statement

Apprentices: Kingston Upon Hull

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  how many apprentice (a) starts and (b) completions there were in Hull during each of the last four years for which information is available; and in what categories these apprenticeship starts and completions were;
	(2)  how many apprenticeship (a) starts and (b) completions in Hull in the last four years were (i) advertised and (ii) taken up by each age group.

David Willetts: Information on the number of apprenticeship starts and achievements by local education authority (including Kingston upon Hull local education authority) and sector subject area (SSA) are published in a supplementary table to a quarterly Statistical First Release (SFR):
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/DBB6E907-BC1A-416C-B6B8-99BEC4D5EFA5/0/March2013_ApprenticeshipStartsbySectorSubjectAreaLevelAge.xls
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/C7E2EC14-58AF-43D2-93DF-221C23C2122E/0/March2013_Apprenticeships_SSA_Geography_Achievements.xls
	Information on the number of apprenticeship starts and achievements by local education authority and age are published in a supplementary table to a quarterly Statistical First Release (SFR):
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/EAD8024F-3019-4D5C-A6EC-B6241B089862/0/March2013_ApprenticeshipStartsbyGeographyLevelAge.xls
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/9A549B61-8099-4660-8667-0B5ABF6011F8/0/March2013_ApprenticeshipAchievementsGeographyLevelAge.xls
	Table 1 shows the number of apprenticeship vacancies posted on the National Apprenticeship Service Apprenticeship Vacancies online system located in Kingston upon Hull between December 2008 (the date the apprenticeship vacancy on-line system first went live) and May 2013 (as at end of May 2013). All apprenticeship vacancy adverts posted on the website are open to individuals of all ages; therefore an age breakdown is not presented.
	
		
			 Table 1: Apprenticeship vacancies posted in Kingston upon Hull, 2008/09 (December 2008 to July 2009) to 2012/13 (August 2012 to May 2013) 
			  2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13(1) 
			 Kingston upon Hull 40 60 240 380 530 
			 (1) August 2012 to May 2013 Notes: 1. All figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Geographic information is based on the location of the Apprenticeship vacancy. 3. Employers registered on the Apprenticeship Vacancies system can advertise a vacancy directly on the system or direct candidates to their own website and information is captured in both cases. Information is not captured for vacancies made available by employers who are not registered so therefore these figures may not provide a comprehensive picture of all Apprenticeship vacancies within an area. 4. Apprenticeship vacancies data are updated on a monthly basis and published by the Data Service on the fourth day of each calendar month at the following link Source: National Apprenticeship Service Apprenticeship Vacancy Reports (as at end of May 2013) 
		
	
	Online reports from Apprenticeship Vacancies are updated on a monthly basis and published by the Data Service on at the following link:
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/Statistics/fe_data_library/Apprenticeships/

Apprentices: West Midlands

Chris White: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many apprenticeships started in (a) Warwick District, (b) Warwickshire and (c) the West Midlands in each of the last five years.

David Willetts: Information on the number of apprenticeship starts by geography is published in a supplementary table to a quarterly Statistical First Release (SFR):
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/69EFC69B-C189-46C4-93C4-6B161D744073/0/March2013_Apprenticeship Starts.xls

Flood Control

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much funding his Department has made available in grants to businesses developing new flood protection technologies in each of the last three years; and in which part of the country businesses in receipt of such grants were based.

David Willetts: The Technology Strategy Board is the Government’s prime channel for supporting business-led technology innovation and delivers a range of programmes in support of businesses undertaking research and development.
	The Technology Strategy Board has supported a number of projects in the area of flood protection technologies in the last three years with grant funding offered to businesses totalling over £571,000. The split by year and region is as follows:
	
		
			  Region Grant funding (£) 
			 2010-11 — 0 
			  Total 0 
			    
			 2011-12 South East 149,520 
			  London 74,000 
			  Total 223,520 
			    
			 2012-13 East of England 5,000 
			  South West 88,560 
			  North West 77,788 
			  Scotland 40,518 
			  East Midlands 23,500 
			  South East 63,000 
			  Yorkshire and Humber 50,000 
			  Total 348,366

Higher Education: Admissions

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent steps he has taken to encourage people from disadvantaged backgrounds to enter higher education.

David Willetts: The Government has been very clear about the importance of widening participation and improving fair access in higher education—all those with the ability should have access to higher education, irrespective of family income.
	Under our student finance reforms no eligible student pays up front for their first degree. Loans are only repaid once graduates have jobs and are earning over £21,000.
	Our Student Finance and College Tour is running again this year with recent graduates providing students and their parents with the information about the student finance available to them.
	The Government is establishing a new framework, with increased responsibility placed on universities to widen participation. This includes arrangements for new annual access agreements. Universities plan to spend over £670 million in 2016/17 on measures to widen participation through their access agreements.
	To make sure that we are doing everything possible to widen participation and promote fair access BIS Ministers asked the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and the Office for Fair Access (OFFA) to develop a shared strategy for access and student success which will include advice to ensure we achieve the maximum impact from spending by Government, HEFCE and institutions. HEFCE and OFFA are due to deliver the strategy in autumn 2013. An interim report was published on 8 March 2013.

Higher Education: Barnsley

Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many people from Barnsley East constituency went on to university in academic year (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13.

David Willetts: The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) collects and publishes data on students at UK Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The numbers of entrants to UK HEIs who were domiciled in Barnsley East constituency prior to their course have been provided in the table for the academic years 2010/11 and 2011/12.
	Information for the 2012/13 academic year will become available from the Higher Education Statistics Agency in January 2014.
	
		
			 Entrants(1) to UK HEIs domiciled to Barnsley East(2) prior to their course academic years 2010/11 to 2011/12 
			  Barnsley East constituency 
			 2010/11 860 
			 2011/12 755 
			 (1) Covers all students in their first year of study. (2) Parliamentary constituency is derived from the student's postcode. Note: Figures are based on a HESA standard registration population and have been rounded to the nearest five. Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) Student Record 
		
	
	In reference to my previous answer to the hon. Member for Barnsley East on 21 May 2012, Official Report, column 519W, it was necessary to provide statistics excluding the Open University and using the 1 December snapshot of student numbers rather than the final published totals. This is because a time series had been requested covering years prior to a change to the standard reported population (SPR) of students.
	Figures in the table are not comparable with the figures provided in May 2012, The snapshot numbers tend to be lower than the SRP statistics published by HESA which capture the full range of start dates across the academic year. If we had provided estimates consistent with the numbers in my previous answer they would have been 735 for 2010/11 and 625 for 2011/12.

Postgraduate Education

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of ease of access to postgraduate education for students from low-income backgrounds.

David Willetts: Linked to the National Student Survey (NSS), the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) has commissioned a survey to understand from final-year undergraduates what their post-graduation plans are, and what would motivate them to pursue or deter them from postgraduate study—‘The Intentions After Graduation Survey’ (IAGS). HEFCE will be able to analyse IAGS responses by many established measures, including socio-economic background. A report of the results of the 2013 IAGS will be published in the autumn.
	BIS has also asked HEFCE and the Office for Fair Access (OFFA) to develop a national strategy for access and student success in higher education An interim report can be found at the following link:
	http://www.hefce.ac.uk/news/newsarchive/2013/name,78843,en.html
	HEFCE will continue to gather evidence on the role and nature of postgraduate provision, and the potential impact of higher education funding changes on graduate choices, as part of its monitoring of the overall effect of these reforms.

Science: Finance

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent assessment he has made of the relationship between funding science and securing future economic growth.

David Willetts: Science is crucial for long-term economic growth. In December 2011 BIS published the Innovation and Research Strategy for Growth, accompanied by an economics paper that provided a detailed assessment of the impact of science and innovation on the UK economy.
	Investment in science drives sustainable economic growth through its contribution to productivity and international competitiveness. Studies have found a strong, positive relationship between investment in Research and Development (R&D) and productivity growth. The broad consensus typically indicates a rate of return from R&D of between 20% and 50%.
	The position is kept under close review, and all proposed science investments by BIS are, as a matter of course, subject to an assessment of their expected future economic impact.

Science: Wales

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent discussions he has had with his Welsh counterpart regarding plans for the new Menai Science Park, Bangor.

David Willetts: The Government believes that science and research parks can be important to both local and national competitiveness by supporting commercialisation of research and development. Government can play its part by removing key barriers to development, for example by addressing restrictive planning laws, ensuring a modern infrastructure, supporting the supply of highly skilled workers and addressing barriers to capital. Actions on these issues were summarised in our Innovation and Research Strategy for Growth.
	To date, no discussions have taken place between the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), and his Welsh counterpart regarding plans for the new Menai Science Park, Bangor.

Students: Loans

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the Government's policy is on the privatisation of student loans.

David Willetts: The Government is committed to reducing public sector net debt, managing financial risks and achieving value for money for the tax payer. In the 2010 Budget, the Government announced its intention to continue with the Student Debt Sale Programme of ICR loans as part of a wider programme of asset commercialisation. This work is still ongoing.

Students: Loans

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions his officials have had on the potential privatisation of student loans.

David Willetts: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is continuing to explore options to sell the income contingent repayment (ICR) student loan books as part of the Government's wider programme of asset commercialisation.
	Our plans to sell the earlier mortgage style loans were announced in March 2013.

Students: Loans

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions his officials have had on lifting the cap on interest rates for student loans.

David Willetts: The Government received proposals in 2011 from its advisers that the cap on interest rates on student loans should be removed as part of a possible sale of the loan book. The Government rejected these proposals.

TRANSPORT

Bridges: River Thames

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish his Department's health impact assessment for the new lower Thames crossing proposed option C.

Stephen Hammond: The Department has not completed specific health impact assessments for the potential options for a new lower Thames crossing. It has however appraised a wide range of potential impacts—for example, in relation to air quality—of locating a new crossing at different locations.
	These assessments are included in the final review report and supporting documentation published on 21 May 2013 at the launch of the Department's consultation on options for a new crossing. They are available at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/options-for-a-new-lower-thames-crossing
	Once a decision is made on location, a future scheme for a new lower Thames crossing would be subject to a detailed environmental impact assessment as part of the statutory planning process.

Invalid Vehicles

Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will bring forward legislative proposals to amend the Road Traffic Act 1988 to increase the weight limit of Class 3 wheelchairs from 150kg to 200kg.

Norman Baker: There are no plans to increase the unladen weight limit of Class 3 wheelchairs from 150kgs to 200kgs.
	I announced on 1 March 2012 [Official Report, Column 44WS] that the maximum unladen weight of Class 2 powered wheelchairs should be increased to 150 kgs. I have asked my officials to look at how best the Use of Invalid Carriages on Highways Regulations 1988 can be amended to reflect this, and I will make an announcement shortly.
	The primary legislation governing the use of invalid carriages is the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1990, not the Road Traffic Act 1988.

Public Expenditure

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the equality impact of his Department's spending reductions since 2010; whether this assessment has been used to inform his planning ahead of the 2013 comprehensive spending review and with what result; what plans he has to publish the equality impact assessments undertaken by his Department as a result of the upcoming comprehensive spending review; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport considers equality issues in exercising its functions, including at Spending Reviews, both to comply with equality legislation and to ensure it understands how its activities will affect different people. This consideration will be published in due course.

Public Transport: Tickets

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many Integrated Transport Smartcard Organisation cards were issued in England between April 2006 and March 2013; and how many passenger trips were made during that period by people receiving (a) concessionary and (b) non-concessionary cards.

Norman Baker: The Department does not hold any information in relation to Integrated Transport Smartcard Organisation (ITSO) cards issued by bus operators for use with commercial products.
	In 2006/07 and 2007/08 the statutory minimum concession in England for older and disabled people provided free off-peak bus travel within the card holder's local authority area. Local authorities could issue cards of their own design and there was no legal requirement for a card to be an ITSO smartcard. The Department does not hold information about the number of ITSO cards that were issued in relation to the statutory concession at that time.
	In 2008 the statutory minimum was extended to England-wide travel and it became a legal requirement that local authorities should issue cards of a specific design. The legislation includes a requirement that each card should be an ITSO smartcard and that the expiry date of a card should be no greater than 5 years from the date of issue.
	Since 2008 around 22 million ITSO smartcards have been issued in relation to the statutory scheme. This figure is greater than the estimated 10 million valid ITSO cards in circulation at 31 March 2013, as the majority of ITSO cards issued in 2008 will have expired and been reissued at least once. In relation to these ITSO cards only, we estimate that around 1 billion concessionary journeys were made each year in 2010/11, 2011/12 and 2012/13 - the relevant published table is BUS0821 which can be found at
	https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/bus08-concessionary-travel
	The Department does not hold this information prior to 2010/11.

Railways: Electrification

Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects construction work to commence on electrification of the North Transpennine rail route.

Simon Burns: Construction commences later this year with bridge reconstruction works between Manchester and Stalybridge.

Rescue Services: Belfast

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what date the risk-assessed staffing level at MRCC Belfast was last altered.

Stephen Hammond: The risk assessed staffing level for MRCC Belfast was last altered on 11 March 2013.

Social Enterprises

Chris White: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many of his Department's suppliers are social enterprises.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport does not currently maintain a record of Social Enterprises in our supply chain.
	We do maintain a copy of the Charities Commission database and use this to classify suppliers who are registered charities but this does not unfortunately identify Social Enterprises.

Termination of Employment

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions (a) a compromise agreement, (b) a confidentiality clause and (c) judicial mediation was used when an employee of (i) his Department and (ii) the public bodies for which he is responsible left their employment in (A) 2010-11, (B) 2011-12 and (C) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Baker: The following table provides a breakdown as requested in the financial years 2010, 2011 and 2012. A further breakdown to individual bodies has not been provided to protect the confidentiality of the individuals involved. This is in line with the Data Protection Act.
	
		
			  2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 
			 Compromise agreements (all of which are assumed to contain a confidentiality clause) for the Department and its agencies 21 12 10 
			 Compromise agreements (all of which are assumed to contain a confidentiality clause) for the non-departmental public bodies 7 <5 8 
			 Judicial mediations (total for the Department, agencies and associated NDPBs) <5 0 <5

West Coast Railway Line

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of capacity on the West Coast Main Line.

Simon Burns: The Department does not undertake assessments of capacity on individual routes; however, it is well known that the west coast main line is one of the busiest routes on the network.
	Allocation of capacity on the west coast main line is a matter for the operators that use the route, Network Rail and the Office of Rail Regulation.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Apprentices

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many apprentices are employed by her Department; and how many of those are aged (a) under 19, (b) 19 to 25, (c) 26 to 30, (d) 31 to 59 and (e) over 60.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 24 June 2013
	The Home Department's apprenticeship scheme has been in operation since 2008 and the Department currently has seven apprentices recruited externally through this route. All the apprentices are aged 25 or under, but to provide a further breakdown would breach the Department's obligations under the Data Protection Act 1998 not to disclose, to a third party, personal information about another person.
	Apprenticeships are also available to existing staff through Learning and Development provision. Agreement for staff to complete an apprenticeship qualification is controlled locally, and therefore no central data is available.

Asylum

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average time taken for a decision on asylum was for (a) male and (b) female applicants in each of the last 10 years.

Mark Harper: The information you have requested is shown in the table. Data prior to 2007 is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			 Asylum application average processing times, 2007-12 
			 Days 
			  Male Female Unclassified Overall 
			 2007 186 165 332 180 
			 2008 216 196 281 210 
			 2009 148 132 146 143 
			 2010 69 64 123 68 
			 2011 74 77 70 75 
			 2012 59 60 33 59 
			 Notes: 1. All figures quoted have been derived from management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change. This information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols. 2. Figures relate to first time main applicants only. 3. Figures relate to asylum applications made between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2012. 4. Processing time based on mean average number of calendar days between application and first case outcome date. 5. Unclassified relate to cases where the sex of the applicant is not recorded.

Asylum

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average length of time taken to process settlement applications made by asylum seekers was between 1 October and 31 December 2012.

Mark Harper: holding answer 24 June 2013
	Of the 57 settlement applications that were received and decided between 1 October and 31 December 2012, the average length for an application to be decided was 17 calendar days.
	Notes
	1. The figures quoted have been derived from management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change. This information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols.
	2. Figures relate to asylum main applicants.
	3. Figures relate to applications made for settlement, by individuals that have made an application for asylum.
	4. Processing time is based on the average number of calendar days between application raised (received) and despatch date.

Bedfordshire Police

Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the budget of Bedfordshire Police was in each year since 2010.

Damian Green: holding answer 24 June 2013
	The Home Office does not hold details of the full budget for Bedfordshire police as this includes funding from other sources such as the use of reserves and from charging for additional services.
	The allocations of Police Main Grant provided by the Home Office to Bedfordshire Police were £42.6 million in 2010-11, £43.9 million in 2011-12 and £40.8 million in 2012-13. In 2013-14, the aggregate amount of grants provided to Bedfordshire police by the Home Office is £69.9 million (which includes £25.4 million in formula grant funding which in previous years had been paid to the police by the Department for Communities and Local Government but from 2013-14 onwards is being paid by the Home Office).

Bedfordshire Police

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the cost-effectiveness of Bedfordshire Police.

Damian Green: It is locally elected police and crime commissioners (PCCs) who are responsible for the delivery of an effective and efficient police service within the force area, including an assessment of use of resources. It is also the responsibility of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) which is charged in statute with inspecting the efficiency and effectiveness of all police forces in England and Wales.

Billing

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment her Department has made of the potential financial benefits that could be achieved by paying suppliers early in return for rebates.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 24 June 2013
	The Home Office and its Agencies have signed up to the Confederation of British Industry's (CBI) prompt payment code and BS7890, the British standard for payment. Since June 2010, the contractual terms and conditions of payment require the Home Office to pay supplier's invoices within five days of accepting relevant goods and services, or from receiving a compliant invoice. Because of the Home Office's application of prompt payment policies, no assessment of potential financial benefit has been made.

Crime

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the monetary value of (a) drug trafficking, (b) human trafficking, (c) money laundering and (d) tax avoidance in the (i) world economy, (ii) European economy and (iii) UK economy in the last year for which figures are available.

Mark Harper: The latest assessments for which figures are available are set out as follows:
	(a) The Home Office has not undertaken an estimate of the cost of drug trafficking to the world, European and UK economies. The most recent available Home Office estimate of the social and economic cost of Class A drug use in England and Wales was undertaken by the last Government and was £15.4 billion per year and £4 billion to £6.6 billion for the size of the UK illicit drug market (both based on the reference year 2003-04).
	(b) The Home Office has not undertaken an estimate of the cost of human trafficking to the world, European and UK economies. The most recent available Home Office estimate of the social and economic cost of human trafficking for sexual exploitation in the UK was undertaken by the last Government and was up to £1 billion per year and £275 million for the size of the UK human trafficking for sexual exploitation market (2003).
	(c) The Home Office has not undertaken an estimate of the cost of money laundering to the world, European and UK economies. The most recent estimate is a HM Treasury assessment undertaken by the last Government in 2007 which estimated that in the UK the most serious forms of organised crime alone generate an illicit turnover of some £15 billion per year; and that money laundering through the regulated sector was about £10 billion per year.
	(d) The Government does make an estimate of the size of the UK tax gap each year, which includes an assessment of the level of avoidance. The latest figures published as official statistics are for 2010-11 and can be found at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/statistics/tax-gaps/mtg-2012.pdf
	The Government keeps these estimates under review.

Crime

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the most recent annual average level of serious and acquisitive crime per 1,000 population in each police force in England and Wales is.

Jeremy Browne: The information requested is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Offences recorded by the police in England and Wales in 2012 
			 Rate per 1,000 population 
			 Police force area Serious crime(1) Acquisitive crime(2) 
			 Avon and Somerset 15 32 
			 Bedfordshire 12 31 
			 Cambridgeshire 11 34 
			 Cheshire 13 28 
			 City of London — — 
			 Cleveland 15 36 
			 Cumbria 12 19 
			 Derbyshire 12 26 
			 Devon and Cornwall 15 22 
			 Dorset 10 30 
			 Durham 10 26 
			 Dyfed-Powys 10 13 
		
	
	
		
			 Essex 13 32 
			 Gloucestershire 9 29 
			 Greater Manchester 15 37 
			 Gwent 13 30 
			 Hampshire 15 27 
			 Hertfordshire 10 24 
			 Humberside 16 36 
			 Kent 13 29 
			 Lancashire 16 32 
			 Leicestershire 13 31 
			 Lincolnshire 11 30 
			 Merseyside 11 32 
			 Metropolitan police 20 56 
			 Norfolk 12 20 
			 Northamptonshire 15 37 
			 Northumbria 9 24 
			 North Wales 16 25 
			 North Yorkshire 10 23 
			 Nottinghamshire 14 34 
			 South Wales 14 34 
			 South Yorkshire 10 42 
			 Staffordshire 15 25 
			 Suffolk 14 27 
			 Surrey 9 23 
			 Sussex 12 31 
			 Thames Valley 12 33 
			 Warwickshire 10 34 
			 West Mercia 12 26 
			 West Midlands 13 34 
			 West Yorkshire 12 45 
			 Wiltshire 11 26 
			 ‘—’ = Not applicable due to the small resident population. (1) Includes the offence groups of violence against the person and sexual offences. (2) Includes the offence groups of robbery, burglary, offences against vehicles and other theft.

Drugs: Crime

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrests for drugs offences there have been in each police force area in each of the last five years.

Damian Green: Data on arrests for notifiable offences in England and Wales are collected by the Home Office and published on an annual basis in the National Statistics series 'Police Powers and Procedures'. The latest release, relating to the years up to and including 2011-12, is available in the Library of the House and online at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/police-powers-and-procedures-in-england-and-wales-201112
	The number of arrests for drug offences in the years 2007-08 to 2011-12 are shown in the following table. Data for 2012-13 are expected to be published in the spring of 2014.
	
		
			 Persons arrested for notifiable drug offences by police force area: England and Wales, 2007-08 to 2011-12 
			 Number 
			 Police force area 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			 Cleveland 1,211 1,544 1,889 1,757 1,563 
			 Durham 838 1,068 1,025 1,084 836 
			 Northumbria 3,732 4,220 4,101 4,712 4.813 
			 North East Region 5,781 6,832 7,015 7,553 7,212 
		
	
	
		
			 Cheshire 952 1,327 1,542 1,430 1,345 
			 Cumbria 833 913 793 867 929 
			 Greater Manchester 5,323 5,706 6,089 6,753 5,720 
			 Lancashire 4,250 4,575 5,149 5,066 4,856 
			 Merseyside 6,767 7,879 9,309 10,084 9,366 
			 North West Region 18,125 20,400 22,882 24,200 22,216 
			       
			 Humberside 1,342 1,347 1,325 1,412 1,362 
			 North Yorkshire 1,234 1,750 1,578 1,441 1,796 
			 South Yorkshire 2,542 2,591 2,935 2,863 2,559 
			 West Yorkshire 3,878 4,210 4,685 4,271 4,580 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber Region 8,996 9,898 10,523 9,987 10,297 
			       
			 Derbyshire 1,033 1,302 1.528 1,536 1,502 
			 Leicestershire 1,027 1,199 1,315 1.179 918 
			 Lincolnshire 828 1,075 1,046 2,239 1,616 
			 Northamptonshire 628 703 810 981 904 
			 Nottinghamshire 2,561 2,378 2,510 2,802 2,137 
			 East Midlands Region 6,077 6,657 7,209 8,737 7,077 
			       
			 Staffordshire 1,808 1,501 1,613 1,515 1,650 
			 Warwickshire 355 431 665 584 469 
			 West Mercia 1,117 1,431 1,332 1,371 1,643 
			 West Midlands 4,766 5,213 4,962 4,263 4,080 
			 West Midlands Region 8,046 8,576 8,572 7,733 7,842 
			       
			 Bedfordshire 735 830 829 1,069 989 
			 Cambridgeshire 1,090 1,098 1,146 1,278 1.288 
			 Essex 2,308 2,779 2,716 2,876 2,435 
			 Hertfordshire 2,044 2,395 2,997 2,841 2,616 
			 Norfolk 1,199 1,146 1,073 1,222 1,127 
			 Suffolk 703 948 777 705 691 
			 East of England Region 8,079 9,196 9,538 9,991 9,146 
			       
			 London, City of 441 302 326 381 573 
			 Metropolitan Police 22,431 25,034 25,730 27,415 26,749 
			 London Region 22,872 25,336 26,056 27,796 27,322 
			       
			 Hampshire 2,471 2.751 3,297 3,069 2,686 
			 Kent 2,782 3,093 3,323 2,707 2.214 
			 Surrey 1,269 1,167 835 1,002 2.333 
			 Sussex 2,306 2,247 2,505 2,537 2,558 
			 Thames Valley 4,739 4,860 4,537 4.069 3,672 
			 South East Region 13,567 14,118 14,497 13,384 13,463 
			       
			 Avon and Somerset 2,192 2,395 2.573 3,140 4,990 
			 Devon and Cornwall 2,204 2.114 2,611 2.825 2,356 
			 Dorset 1,108 1,072 1,069 1,029 960 
			 Gloucestershire 825 1,114 1,257 952 918 
			 Wiltshire 399 614 526 440 365 
			 South West Region 6,728 7,309 8,036 8,386 9,589 
		
	
	
		
			 England 98,271 108,322 114,328 117,767 114,164 
			       
			 Dyfed-Powys 1,351 1,411 1,768 1,897 2,013 
			 Gwent 829 1,015 1,100 1,204 1,336 
			 North Wales 1,523 1,735 1,086 1,021 777 
			 South Wales 2,558 2,859 2,684 3,048 2,953 
			       
			 Wales 6,261 7,020 6,638 7,170 7,079 
			       
			 England and Wales 104,532 115,342 120,966 124,937 121,243

Entry Clearances

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many certificates of sponsorship for tier 5 visas have been issued by each sponsoring body in each of the last three years. [Official Report, 15 October 2013, Vol. 568, c. 5-8MC.]

Mark Harper: holding answer 10 June 2013
	We are unable to provide the data regarding all tier 5 sponsors as the low volume of certificates issued by a third of them would make it possible to identify individuals or personal data.
	The following table shows how many certificates of sponsorship (CoS) for tier 5 visas have been issued by the top 50 sponsors in each of the last three years. This information has also been placed in the House Library.
	
		
			 Number of CoS used in support of Tier 5 visa applications issued by top 50 sponsors from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2012 
			 Number 
			  Sponsoring organisation 2010 2011 2012 Total 
			 1 The Agency Group Ltd 1,450 1,755 1,710 8,120 
			 2 The Underworld 1,000 1,190 1,330 5,715 
			 3 Creative Artists Agency UK Ltd 840 1,015 1,115 4,825 
			 4 Live Nation (Music) UK Ltd 795 705 1,065 4,065 
			 5 Gricind Ltd T/A ITB 925 655 555 3,720 
			 6 William Morris Endeavor Entertainment (UK) Ltd 610 800 735 3,560 
			 7 Culture Arts Ltd 705 705 555 3,370 
			 8 X-R Touring LLP 750 640 540 3,325 
			 9 Bunac 490 660 905 3,205 
			 10 Universal Music Operations Ltd 620 585 590 3,000 
			 11 Primary Talent International Ltd 545 445 600 2,575 
			 12 P & IAs Ltd 380 620 565 2,570 
			 13 Godolphin Management Company Ltd 355 540 635 2,425 
			 14 Askonas Holt 495 380 495 2,245 
			 15 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Great Britain) 445 415 480 2,200 
			 16 Coda Music Agency LLP 360 510 455 2,200 
			 17 Mean Fiddler Holdings Ltd 330 445 560 2,110 
			 18 Classical Events Ltd 590 280 180 1,920 
			 19 3a Entertainment Ltd 390 370 375 1,895 
			 20 Sadler's Wells Trust Ltd 440 405 185 1,880 
			 21 Tin Angel Productions Ltd 270 385 430 1,740 
			 22 IMG Artists (UK) Ltd 400 265 395 1,730 
		
	
	
		
			 23 Victor Hochhauser 440 330 — 1,540 
			 24 AEG Live (UK) Ltd 265 335 320 1,520 
			 25 GTI Recruiting Solutions 155 340 430 1,420 
			 26 Hidden Talent Booking 295 305 190 1,390 
			 27 SJM Concerts Ltd 275 320 155 1,345 
			 28 Warner Music (UK) Ltd 225 315 240 1,320 
			 29 Serious Ltd 225 270 315 1,305 
			 30 ATP Concerts Ltd 315 190 290 1,300 
			 31 Academy of Medical Royal Colleges 170 290 350 1,270 
			 32 Caroline Dunkley DJ and Artist Management 85 305 475 1,255 
			 33 Lattitude Global Volunteering 250 260 225 1,245 
			 34 Youth With A Mission Ltd 210 270 240 1,195 
			 35 Sony Music Entertainment UK Ltd 210 200 305 1,120 
			 36 Upset The Rhythm 180 250 215 1,080 
			 37 British Council (Language Assistants) 250 190 200 1,080 
			 38 Academy Music Group 195 235 175 1,035 
			 39 Southbank Centre 190 190 260 1,020 
			 40 Free Trade Organisation 215 175 235 1,015 
			 41. Ecorys UK Ltd 250 150 150 950 
			 42 Feld Entertainment UK Ltd 165 185 230 930 
			 43 T&S Immigration Services Ltd — 195 535 925 
			 44 Kennedy Street Enterprises Ltd 175 185 190 910 
			 45 Bob Paterson Agency/BPAA Live 135 175 285 905 
			 46 Mountbatten Programmes Ltd 190 180 160 905 
			 47 The Law Society of England and Wales 160 180 200 880 
			 48 Elastic Artists Agency Ltd 165 160 225 875 
			 49 CME Artist Services 35 160 400 790 
			 50 British Council (Erasmus Programme) 75 170 280 770 
			 Notes: 1. The figures quoted have been derived from management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change. This information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols. 2. Figures relate to Certificates of Sponsorship issued to applicants by sponsoring bodies, and used in support of tier 5 visa applications. 3. Figures rounded to the nearest 5 (— = 0, * = 1 or 2) and may not sum to the totals shown because of independent rounding.

Heathrow Airport

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedure is in place for exit checks on passengers departing from Heathrow Terminal 4.

Mark Harper: Home Office Immigration Enforcement regularly conducts manual embarkation checks on passengers on an intelligence-led basis, targeting routes which are known to be used by immigration offenders. This ensures that immigration offenders are prevented from returning to the UK for a defined period. Embarkation checks can be conducted at any port, including Terminal 4 at London Heathrow. More generally, the use of advance passenger information supports our ability to undertake effective exit checks as passengers leave the UK.

Human Trafficking

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) adult and (b) children subjected to human trafficking have been detained while leaving the UK to go to Ireland in each of the last 10 years.

Mark Harper: This information is not collected centrally. The Common Travel Area (CTA) is based on the principle that once a person has been granted leave to enter one part of the CTA, they will not normally require leave to enter another part of it while that leave is still valid. Targeted operations may be conducted where intelligence identifies a particular risk.

Human Trafficking

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent meetings (a) she and (b) her ministerial colleagues have had with their foreign counterparts on improving international co-operation in tackling human trafficking.

Mark Harper: Home Office Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of international partners, as well as organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors, as part of the process of policy development and delivery. Details of these meetings are published on the Cabinet Office website on a quarterly basis.

Human Trafficking

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration she has given to developing multi-country specialist training for the purpose of tackling human trafficking.

Mark Harper: The UK works with other member states to share best practice and to strengthen its response to tackling trafficking, including sharing knowledge and information on training for a range of front-line professionals who may come into contact with potential trafficking victims.

Human Trafficking

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what protocols are in place to improve data collection across Europe on human trafficking.

Mark Harper: The UK works with other member states to share best practice and improve data collection techniques, through a number of informal and formal EU networks. The UK is a key contributor of human trafficking data to EU data collection processes.

Human Trafficking

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many victims of human trafficking who are owed wages by employers have been (a) granted, (b) denied access to those wages by the courts.

Mark Harper: There are no central records maintained of the number of victims of human trafficking who are owed wages by employers, where they have either been granted or denied access to those wages by the court.

Human Trafficking

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what amount her Department spent on advertising to raise awareness of human trafficking in each of the last five years.

Mark Harper: The table sets out the amount spent by the Home Office and the UK Human Trafficking Centre on raising awareness of human trafficking during the last five years.
	
		
			  £ 
			 2009  
			 Blue Blindfold Campaign Launch 15,000 
			   
			 2012  
			 Redistribution of an awareness and education toolkit for professionals on ‘internal trafficking’ 5,500 
			 Contribution to the Lord Mayor's office evaluation on the multi-agency activities for the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics 4,000 
			 National campaign on labour trafficking conducted by Crimestoppers 30,000 
			   
			 2013  
			 Funding for NSPCC for awareness-raising activities for front-line professionals 10,000 
			 Funding for Eaves for awareness-raising activities for frontline professionals 43,762 
			 Funding for Stop the Traffik for awareness-raising activities for front-line professionals 20,512 
			 Conference on human trafficking and UK industry held on 18 March 2013 18,353.34 
			 Redraft and reprint of the police operational handbook 4,669.26

Human Trafficking

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research her Department has commissioned on human trafficking in each of the last 10 years for which data is available.

Mark Harper: Home Office research commissioned in the last 10 years, on human trafficking, is set out as follows:
	'An evidence assessment of the routes of human trafficking into the UK' (2012)
	Kevin Marsh, Rashmi Sarmah, Phil Davies, Emma Froud, Jacque Mallender, Elizabeth Scalia, Tony Munton (Matrix Knowledge Group) With Andrew Zurawan, Laura Powlton, and Carolyne Tah (Analysis, Research and Knowledge Management, UK Border Agency)
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/an-evidence-assessment-of-the-routes-of-human-trafficking-into-the-uk
	Interviews with prisoners convicted of HT offences to understand market dynamics (2009)
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/organised-immigration-crime-a-post-conviction-study
	Process review of Operation Pentameter (HT for sexual exploitation) (2008)
	http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20110218135832/http://rds.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/horr07b.pdf
	‘Trafficking for the purposes of labour exploitation: a literature review’ (2007)
	Samantha Dowling, Karen Moreton and Leila Wright
	http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20110218135832/rds.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs07/rdsolr1007.pdf
	Project Acumen: Setting the record—The trafficking of migrant women in England and Wales for off-street prostitution. August 2010)
	http://www.acpo.police.uk/documents/crime/2010/201008CRITMW01.pdf
	Additional research has also been commissioned by the Association of Chief Police Officers, Child Exploitation and Online Protection centre and United Kingdom Human Trafficking Centre.

Human Trafficking

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she has taken to raise awareness of human trafficking in the (a) agriculture, (b) restaurant, (c) entertainment, (d) health and beauty and (e) construction industries.

Mark Harper: The Government recognises that the private sector has an important role to play in tackling human trafficking and exploitation.
	The Government held a conference with industry in March 2013. This highlighted the need for businesses and their employees to be aware of the potential for human trafficking to occur and what they should do if they suspect someone is a victim of trafficking.
	The Gangmasters Licensing Authority continues to provide best practice guidance and briefing to the agriculture and food processing sectors, including companies in their supply chains.
	Work to raise the awareness of businesses in a number of sectors is ongoing.

Human Trafficking

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will take steps to raise awareness of human trafficking among teachers.

Mark Harper: The Government recognises the importance of raising awareness of human trafficking among a wide range of front-line professionals, including teachers. The Joint Strategic Group on Human Trafficking, comprised of Government officials and non-governmental organisation representatives, is currently considering how training and awareness-raising can be improved for front-line professionals who may come into contact with potential victims of trafficking.

Human Trafficking

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will consider issuing leaflets on human trafficking when work permits are issued.

Mark Harper: Work routes are generally managed under the points based system. Those applying under this system have access to detailed guidance on the Home Office website and local country sites and a telephone and email service. The Home Office will consider if the information we provide on the dangers of trafficking can be improved through the use of leaflets.

Human Trafficking

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what seminars are held on human trafficking for staff processing work permits.

Mark Harper: Work routes are generally managed under the points based system. Human trafficking training is mandatory for all UK Visas and Immigration staff who manage and process applications under this system. This helps them to identify those who might have been trafficked and understand the steps that should be taken to safeguard possible victims. In addition, seminars and conferences may be arranged with local partners in countries where there is a known threat.

Human Trafficking

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what definition of the term forced labour her Department uses for the purposes of tackling human trafficking; and whether she has any plans to change that definition.

Mark Harper: The Crown Prosecution Service has issued legal guidance to prosecutors on human trafficking for forced labour arising under section 4 of the Asylum and Immigration Act 2004 and for the stand alone offence of requiring a person to perform forced or compulsory labour, arising under section 71 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009. For both offences, there is reference to the definitions outlined in Article 4 of the European Convention on Human Rights which, for forced labour, are as interpreted by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Conventions.
	These define forced or compulsory labour as being:
	'all work or service which is exacted from any person under the menace of any penalty and for which the said person has not offered himself voluntarily'.
	There have been successful prosecutions brought for both trafficking for forced labour and for the stand alone offence of forced labour. There are no plans to change that definition.

Human Trafficking

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been trafficked for the purpose of removal of organs in each of the last 10 years.

Mark Harper: Since the establishment of the National Referral Mechanism (NRM), on 1 April 2013, there have been three potential victims of trafficking referred to the NRM who reported organ harvesting as the main exploitation type. Data are not held prior to this date.

Human Trafficking

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions she has had with her Irish counterpart on the establishment of a European hotline for the purposes of tackling human trafficking.

Mark Harper: The Home Office has not discussed the establishment of a European hotline for the purposes of tackling human trafficking with the Irish Government.
	There are no plans to introduce a human trafficking hotline. Individuals wishing to report suspicions of trafficking should contact the Crimestoppers hotline, the Metropolitan Police Service human trafficking phone line or their local police force.

Human Trafficking

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many alleged victims of human trafficking have been deported in each of the last 10 years.

Mark Harper: The UK Border Agency began recording information on victims of trafficking in a reportable format on 1 April 2009. From 1 April 2009 to 30 April 2013, fewer than five victims of trafficking have had an enforced removal from the UK.
	Notes
	1. The figures quoted have been derived from management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change. This information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols.
	2. Data relate to individuals removed after being deemed to have been a victim of trafficking.
	3. Data relate to main applicants and dependants.
	4. Figures rounded to the nearest five.

Human Trafficking

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what co-operation her Department has with the European Migration Network's Common Research Template to tackle human trafficking.

Mark Harper: The Home Office is currently co-ordinating the response to the common research template for human trafficking. The response, which will take the form of a national report, will be published on the European Migration Network's website in September.

Human Trafficking

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will consider using social networking sites to raise awareness of indicators of human trafficking.

Mark Harper: The Government recognises the importance of raising awareness of human trafficking among the public and front-line professionals through a range of media, including social networking sites. Work to raise awareness is ongoing and includes consideration of the target audience and the most appropriate media channels available.

Human Trafficking

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will take steps to raise awareness of human trafficking in migrant communities.

Mark Harper: The Government recognises the importance of raising awareness of human trafficking among the public and, in particular, migrant communities. Government officials work with a number of non-governmental organisations to support their activities in raising awareness among communities at a local and regional level.
	The Home Office also regularly issues messages about the danger of illegal working and trafficking. There have also been targeted information campaigns on migrants' employment rights such as through the Home Office and TUC dissemination of leaflets to East European workers following the 2004 accession.

Human Trafficking

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) male and (b) female (i) adults and (ii) children were victims of human trafficking in each of the last 10 years for which data are available.

Mark Harper: Data on the number of male and female adult victims of human trafficking and the number of male and female child victims of human trafficking, who have been referred into the National Referral Mechanism since April 2009, are published on the Serious Organised Crime Agency website:
	www.soca.gov.uk/about-soca/about-the-ukhtc/national-referral-mechanism/statistics

Human Trafficking

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what rules govern access to the 45-day recovery and reflection period for victims of human trafficking; and whether she has any plans to change (a) the rules on access or (b) the length of time allowed for recovery and reflection.

Mark Harper: Detailed information on the rules governing access to the extendable 45-day recovery and reflection period can be found in the Home Office guidance for competent authorities:
	http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/policyandlaw/asylumprocessguidance/specialcases/guidance/competent-guidance?view=Binary.
	This guidance is currently being updated. There are no plans to change the rules on access or the length of the recovery and reflection period, which is longer than the 30 day minimum stipulated by the Council of Europe Convention and can be extended in cases where there are high levels of trauma or acute support needs.

Human Trafficking

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she last met the Director of Public Prosecutions to discuss human trafficking.

Mark Harper: The Solicitor-General, my hon. and learned Friend the Member for North East Hertfordshire (Oliver Heald), representing the Attorney-General, my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Beaconsfield (Mr Grieve) who is responsible for appointing the Director of Public Prosecutions, is a member of the Inter-Departmental Ministerial Group on Human Trafficking. The Group oversees the UK's response to tackling trafficking, including prosecutions and convictions.

Human Trafficking

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 4 June 2013, Official Report, column 1077W, on human trafficking, what amount was awarded by government grant to the (a) Refugee Council and (b) Children's Society for the purpose of scoping the practical care arrangements for trafficked children.

Mark Harper: £44,266, in total, was paid to the Refugee Council and The Children's Society for a joint bid to undertake the scoping review on the practical care arrangements for trafficked children.

Human Trafficking

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who monitors the performance of the UK national rapporteur on human trafficking.

Mark Harper: The Inter-Departmental Ministerial Group (IDMG) on human trafficking is the UK's national rapporteur equivalent mechanism. The first IDMG Group report, published on 18 October 2012, was the subject of a Westminster Hall debate held on 20 December 2012. As Chair of the Group and Minister responsible for policy on human trafficking I also attended a recent Home Affairs Select Committee enquiry into human trafficking. I and my fellow Minister am accountable to Parliament for the performance of the IDMG.

Human Trafficking Ministerial Group

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 4 June 2013, Official Report, column 1077W, on human trafficking, what the name is of each other member of the inter-ministerial team on human trafficking; and how many and what proportion of meetings each has attended since the team's establishment.

Mark Harper: The following table sets out each Department/Government represented on the Inter-Departmental Ministerial Group and the incumbent member, for each meeting held.
	Other Ministers may, from time to time, attend meetings of the group, as required. Membership of this group will be kept under review. The following table sets out each Department/Government represented on the Inter-Departmental Ministerial Group and the incumbent member, for each meeting held.
	
		
			  2011 2012 2013 
			 Department/Government and incumbent member 17 February 11 October 17 April 17 September 11 March 17 June 
			 Home Office (Mark Harper MP—Chair) Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 
			 Home Office (Jeremy Browne MP) — — — Yes No No 
			 Home Office (Lynne Featherstone) Yes No No — — — 
			 Attorney-General's Office (Oliver Heald QC MP) Yes No No No Yes Yes 
			 Scotland Office (Rt Hon David Mundell) No No No No No Yes 
			 Wales Office (Baroness Randerson) Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes 
			 Northern Ireland Executive (David Ford MLA) No No Yes Yes Yes Yes 
			 Scotland Government (Kenny MacAskill) Yes No No Yes No No 
			 Wales Government (Lesley Griffiths AM) No No No No Yes No 
			 Ministry of Justice (Helen Grant MP) Yes No Yes Yes Yes No 
			 Department for Education (Edward Timpson MP) Yes No Yes Yes No No 
			 Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Hanham CBE) No Yes Yes No No No 
			 Department for Work and Pensions (Mark Hoban MP) No No No No No No 
			 Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Hugo Swire MP) No Yes Yes No No No 
			 Department for International Development (Lynne Featherstone MP) No Yes No No No No 
			 Business, Innovation and Skills (Jo Swinson MP) — — — — Yes Yes 
			 Department of Health (Anna Soubry MP) No No No Yes No No

Human Trafficking: Scotland

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many suspected victims of trafficking were found in Scotland in each of the last three years; how many traffickers were prosecuted and convicted in Scotland in that period; and what assets belonging to such traffickers were then seized from the UK and overseas.

Mark Harper: The numbers of potential victims of trafficking, who were found in Scotland in each of the last three years, are set out in the following table:
	
		
			  Number of victims referred 
			 2010 95 
			 2011 94 
			 2012 96 
		
	
	In Scotland, criminal law is devolved to the Scottish Government and the Lord Advocate has responsibility for prosecutorial matters in Scotland.

Immigration

David Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria her Department uses to decide whether an immigration case is deemed complex; and what service standards apply to such cases.

Mark Harper: holding answer 10 June 2013
	The Complex Casework Directorate forms part of UK Visas and Immigration and was formally established in April 2013. The directorate deals with the following workstreams that are defined as 'complex';
	pre-March 2007 asylum cases;
	Asylum Active review applications;
	referrals for deprivation of citizenship where it was granted through deception;
	referrals for revocation of Indefinite Leave where it was granted through deception; and
	referrals for cancellation of cessation of Refugee Status.
	The Complex Casework Directorate is in the process of defining service standards for each of the above workstreams.
	We are not able to supply the management information requested as we do not hold such information.

Immigration Controls

Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will review the effects of the minimum income requirement for UK citizens to bring a spouse or partner of non-European Economic Area nationality to settle in the UK.

Mark Harper: holding answer 24 June 2013
	The Government is satisfied the minimum income requirement is working as intended. However, as with all new policies, we will keep the impact under review in the light of the published immigration statistics and other sources of information available. These will include the information and representations provided by those affected by the rules, such as are contained in the report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Migration published on 10 June 2013.

Legal Opinion: Treaties

Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 6 June 2013, Official Report, column 1230W, on legal opinion: treaties, how the sending and receiving of requests between the UK and the US since February 2010 has been facilitated without a secure email link; and if she will make a statement.

Mark Harper: holding answer 19 June 2013
	Requests to the US are sent securely in hard copy. Most requests from the US are received in hard copy, but some urgent requests have been received via email.

Members: Correspondence

Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed will receive a reply from the Minister for Immigration to her letters of 4 February 2013 and 15 April 2013 concerning the sponsor's minimum income figure being determined on a national basis.

Mark Harper: I wrote to the right hon. Member on 21 June 2013.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter to the Minister for Immigration dated 13 May 2013, from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr Girma Worke and Mrs Nurya Kedir Gobena.

Mark Harper: I wrote to the right hon. Member on 24 June 2013.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter to the Minister for Immigration dated 13 May 2013, from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr Rahman.

Mark Harper: I wrote to the right hon. Member on 25 June 2013.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter dated 13 May 2013, from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Ms Edwige Nadebe Koagne.

Mark Harper: I wrote to the right hon. Member on 24 June 2013.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter to the Minister for Immigration dated 13 May 2013, from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr Daniel Olabode Ogun Mulele.

Mark Harper: I wrote to the right hon. Member on 25 June 2013.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter to the Minister for Immigration dated 9 May 2013 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr Mohammad Jawas.

Mark Harper: I wrote to the right hon. Member on 24 June 2013.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter dated 9 May 2013 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr M.S. Anjum.

Mark Harper: I wrote to the right hon. Member on 25 June 2013.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter to the Minister for Immigration dated 8 May 2013 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr Godfrey Jones.

Mark Harper: I wrote to the right hon. Member on 19 June 2013.

Police

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average number of police officers is per head of population in each police force in England and Wales.

Damian Green: The table shows the number of police officers per 100,000 population (population as estimated at mid 2010), in each police force area in England and Wales (full-time equivalent) as at 31 March 2012. These figures are published in the Police Service Strength, England and Wales, 31 March 2012 bulletin.
	
		
			 Number of police officers per 100,000 population, in each police force area in England and Wales, as at 31 March 2012(1, 3, 4) 
			  Total officers per 100,000 population(2) 
			 Avon and Somerset 187 
			 Bedfordshire 188 
			 Cambridgeshire 174 
			 Cheshire 199 
			 Cleveland 271 
			 Cumbria 228 
			 Derbyshire 180 
			 Devon and Cornwall 192 
			 Dorset 193 
			 Durham 223 
			 Essex 196 
			 Gloucestershire 204 
			 Greater Manchester 285 
			 Hampshire 182 
			 Hertfordshire 179 
			 Humberside 201 
		
	
	
		
			 Kent 208 
			 Lancashire 229 
			 Leicestershire 215 
			 Lincolnshire 162 
			 London, City of — 
			 Merseyside 302 
			 Metropolitan police 411 
			 Norfolk 179 
			 Northamptonshire 180 
			 Northumbria 274 
			 North Yorkshire 175 
			 Nottinghamshire 200 
			 South Yorkshire 209 
			 Staffordshire 182 
			 Suffolk 163 
			 Surrey 175 
			 Sussex 188 
			 Thames Valley 193 
			 Warwickshire 157 
			 West Mercia 184 
			 West Midlands 295 
			 West Yorkshire 232 
			 Wiltshire 160 
			 Dyfed-Powys 223 
			 Gwent 258 
			 North Wales 214 
			 South Wales 231 
			 Total of all 43 forces 243 
			 (1) This and other tables contain full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number. (2) Officers per 100,000 population for City of London and Metropolitan police are combined. (3) These figures are published in the Police Service Strength, England and Wales, 31 March 2012 bulletin (table 4). (4) Source—Home Office annual data requirement.

Police and Crime Commissioners

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether her Department plans to commission or instruct an independent national body to publish a national register of police and crime commissioners' interests.

Damian Green: holding answer 24 June 2013
	It is not the role of central Government to establish and maintain a national register of interests.
	Under the Specified Information Order, police and crime commissioners' have to publish a register of interests, including every pecuniary interest or other paid interest as well as other key information such as budgets; contracts and tenders; senior salaries; expenses; and key decisions.

Public Appointments

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who the members of (a) the Police Advisory and Police Negotiating Boards, (b) the Police Arbitration Tribunal, (c) the Police Discipline Appeals Tribunal, (d) the Security Industry Authority, (e) the Serious Organised Crime Agency and (f) the Technical Advisory Board were on 1 January 2013; and what the (i) ethnicity, (ii) term of office and (iii) remuneration is in each case.

Damian Green: holding answer 21 May 2013
	Members of these bodies, along with information about their remuneration and term of office are set out in the following table.
	The Commissioner for Public Appointments collates and publishes information on the number of appointments of candidates from ethnic minority backgrounds; however this information is not broken down by public body or ethnicity. The Commissioner's annual reports are at:
	http://publicappointmentscommissioner.independent.gov.uk
	copies of which are also available in the Library of the House.
	
		
			 Body Position Name Date current term expires Remuneration 
			 Police Advisory Board, Police Negotiating Board Deputy Chair Gillian Morris 11 February 2015 £343 per day 
			 Police Advisory Board, Police Negotiating Board Chair John Randall 12 February 2014 £429 per day 
			 Police Arbitration Tribunal (three bodies) Chair Professor John Goodman 31 December 2014 468 per day 
			 Police Arbitration Tribunal (three bodies) Member Margaret Salmon 31 December 2014 £334 per day 
			 Police Arbitration Tribunal (three bodies) Member Virginia Branney 31 /December 2014 £334 per day 
			 Police Discipline Appeals Tribunal  A police appeals tribunal consists of three people appointed in accordance with schedule 6 to the Police Act 1996  The maximum remuneration for a Tribunal member is £469, which is paid to the Chair for a standard full day sitting. 
			 Security Industry Authority Acting Chair Bill Matthews 31 March 2014 This information will be released when the Annual Report and Accounts are laid in due course. 
			 Security Industry Authority Vice Chair Robin Dahlberg 30 March 2014 This information will be released when the Annual Report and Accounts are laid in due course. 
			 Security Industry Authority Non Executive Director Edward Weiss 2 March 2015 This information will be released when the Annual Report and Accounts are laid in due course. 
			 Security Industry Authority Non Executive Director Linda Sharpe 31 March 2014 This information will be released when the Annual Report and Accounts are laid in due course. 
		
	
	
		
			 Security Industry Authority Non Executive Director Professor Sir Desmond Rea 6 November 2015 This information will be released when the Annual Report and Accounts are laid in due course. 
			 Serious Organised Crime Agency Chair Sir Ian Andrews 2 August 2013 This information will be released when the Annual Report and Accounts are laid in due course. 
			 Serious Organised Crime Agency Non Executive Director Francis Plowden 31 December 2013 This information will be released when the Annual Report and Accounts are laid in due course. 
			 Serious Organised Crime Agency Non Executive Director Peter Clarke 31 December 2013 This information will be released when the Annual Report and Accounts are laid in due course. 
			 Serious Organised Crime Agency Non Executive Director Dr Martyn Thomas 31 December 2013 This information will be released when the Annual Report and Accounts are laid in due course. 
			 Technical Advisory Board Chair Peter Walker 22 December 2014 £400 per day 
			 Technical Advisory Board Member Gerry McQuaid 30 September 2013 Nil 
			 Technical Advisory Board Member Intercepting Agency Representative 5—name cannot be disclosed for security reasons 30 September 2013 Nil 
			 Technical Advisory Board Member Andrew May 31 March 2014 Nil 
			 Technical Advisory Board Member Bob Hughes 31 March 2014 Nil 
			 Technical Advisory Board Member Intercepting Agency Representative 1—name cannot be disclosed for security reasons 31 March 2014 Nil 
			 Technical Advisory Board Member Intercepting Agency Representative 2—name cannot be disclosed for security reasons 31 March 2014 Nil 
			 Technical Advisory Board Member Intercepting Agency Representative 3--name cannot be disclosed for security reasons 31 March 2014 Nil 
			 Technical Advisory Board Member Intercepting Agency Representative 4—name cannot be disclosed for security reasons 31 March 2014 Nil 
			 Technical Advisory Board Member Jacqueline Mellor 31 March 2014 Nil 
			 Technical Advisory Board Member Simon MacKenzie-Crooks 31 March 2014 Nil 
			 Technical Advisory Board Member Timothy King 31 March 2014 Nil 
			 Technical Advisory Board Member Intercepting Agency Representative 6—name cannot be disclosed for security reasons 13 February 2015 Nil

Registration of Births, Deaths, Marriages and Civil Partnerships

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what consideration she has given to enabling the registration of births in children's centres;
	(2)  what estimate she has made of the number of registrars who have outsourced their registration of births to other places in the community due to high demand.

Mark Harper: holding answer 24 June 2013
	The Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953 provides for every child's birth to be recorded in a register kept for the sub-district in which the child was born. Related legislation allows for the registration to take place in a wide range of premises such as town halls, hospitals, libraries and children's centres.
	It is a matter for local authorities, who employ registrars, to determine the locations at which they provide birth registration facilities in order to best meet the needs of their local community. No central record is held of the number of locations in which the facilities are provided across England and Wales. The registration of births is not outsourced by registrars.

Seasonal Agricultural Workers' Scheme

Gordon Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has to replace the seasonal agricultural workers scheme.

Mark Harper: When the current scheme closes, the quotas on seasonal labour from Bulgaria and Romania will be lifted, giving growers free access to labour from anywhere in the EU. The Migration Advisory Committee has recently reported on the impact of closure of the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme and we are considering their report carefully.

Security Guards: Licensing

Jason McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many licence applications the Security Industry Authority refused (a) in total and (b) due to unspent convictions in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011 and (iii) 2012;
	(2)  how many licence applications the Security Industry Authority granted in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012;
	(3)  how many applications for licences the Security Industry Authority received in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012.

James Brokenshire: The following figures detail the number of licence applications refused, and how many of those were criminality related, per year from 2010 to 2012. It should be noted that the Security Industry Authority (SIA) takes into account all convictions, spent and unspent. As such for reporting purposes it is not recorded whether a licence is refused on the basis of spent or unspent convictions, but simply on the basis of criminality.
	
		
			  Total Of which: Due to criminality 
			 2010 4,915 4,569 
			 2011 3,600 3,389 
			 2012 4,333 3,911 
			 Total 12,848 11,869 
		
	
	The following figures detail how many licence applications across all sectors were granted by the SIA per year from 2010-12.
	
		
			  Number 
			 2010 106,440 
			 2011 119,375 
			 2012 156,022 
			 Total 381,837 
		
	
	The following figures below detail how many licence applications across all sectors that the SIA received per year from 2010-12.
	
		
			  Total 
			 2010 185,597 
			 2011 182,942 
			 2012 226,262 
			 Total 594,801

Social Enterprises

Chris White: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of her Department's suppliers are social enterprises.

James Brokenshire: The Home Department is unable to provide this information as it is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Terrorism

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrests for terrorism offences there have been in each police force area in each of the last five years.

James Brokenshire: Although the Home Office publishes statistics containing the number of counter-terrorism arrests, statistics for arrests are not recorded to show the police force area in which the arrests have taken place.
	Data on counter-terrorism arrests, charges and convictions are available in the Home Office statistical release ‘Operation of police powers under the Terrorism Act 2000 and subsequent legislation: Arrests, outcomes and stops and searches’. This statistical release can be accessed from the Gov.UK website at:
	www.gov.uk/home-office

UK Border Agency

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many specialists work on human trafficking in the UK Border Agency; and if she will make a statement.

Mark Harper: Under the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) decisions about who is a victim of trafficking are made by trained specialists. Four staff located in the UK Visas and Immigration NRM Hub and two immigration staff seconded to the UK Human Trafficking Centre undertake this role on a full time basis. In addition, approximately 92 trained staff within UK Visas and Immigration who are located across the United Kingdom undertake this role alongside other duties.
	Human Trafficking specialists are also located in other parts of the Home Office including Intelligence, Policy and Border Force.

UK Membership of EU

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what her Department's top priorities are for changing the UK's relationship with the EU;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the greatest benefit which accrues to her Department by reason of the UK's membership of the EU.

James Brokenshire: holding answers 3 and 11 June 2013
	As the Prime Minister's speech on Europe in January this year made clear, Britain's national interest is best served by membership of a flexible, adaptable and open European Union. However, the EU needs to change both to deliver prosperity and to retain the support of its peoples.
	The Government is currently carrying out the Balance of Competence Review which is an evidence based and objective analysis of what EU membership means for the UK and our national interest. The Home Office will publish two reports in December on the Freedom of Movement and Asylum and Immigration. The reports will not produce recommendations but will look at the impact of the EU in these areas.

TREASURY

Long-term Unemployment

Pamela Nash: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the effect of fiscal policy on the level of long-term unemployment.

Sajid Javid: The UK labour market is showing some signs of recovery with more people in work than under any previous government.
	To support long-term and vulnerable jobseekers, the Government launched the Work programme in June 2011, which has delivered personalised support to around 850,000 people so far, as well as an intensive regime of post-Work programme support for the very long-term unemployed from June 2013.

Small Businesses

David Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent fiscal steps he has taken to support small businesses.

David Rutley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent fiscal steps he has taken to support small businesses.

David Gauke: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given earlier today to the hon. Members for South East Cornwall (Sheryll Murray) and Mid Norfolk (George Freeman).

National Assembly for Wales: Fiscal Accountability

Glyn Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to devolve fiscal accountability to the National Assembly for Wales.

Danny Alexander: The Government established the Commission on Devolution in Wales to consider, as part of its remit, how to increase the fiscal accountability and autonomy of the Welsh Assembly.
	The Government has carefully considered the Commission's recommendations and is now in the process of finalising its response.
	This is an important issue and the Government is committed to delivering the right solution for Wales.

Territorial Army: Departmental Staff

Bob Russell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many of his Department's staff have notified the Department that they have applied to join the Territorial Army since January 2013.

Sajid Javid: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him earlier today.

Air Passenger Duty

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the comparative competitiveness of the UK's air passenger duty regime; and what assessment he has made of claims by the British Air Transport Association that the UK's regime ranks 139th globally on this measure.

Sajid Javid: The Chancellor keeps all taxes under review and considers them in the round. The Government has limited the increase in Air Passenger Duty (APD) to inflation over the period since 2010-11. Budget 2013 announced that rates for 2014-15 will also increase by inflation only, ensuring that the real burden of APD will therefore remain unchanged for a further year.
	The Government has undertaken a series of reforms to increase the competitiveness of the UK tax system, including cutting the main rate of corporation tax from 28% to 23%. It will continue to fall, reaching 20% in April 2015, giving the UK the joint lowest rate in the G20. The 2012 KPMG Annual Survey of Tax Competitiveness looked at the tax regimes of six key competitor economies—including Ireland and the US—and found that the UK was the most commonly cited as being in the top three.

Billing

John Healey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the savings it could achieve by paying its suppliers early in return for rebates.

Sajid Javid: No assessment has been made of any savings HM Treasury could achieve by paying its suppliers early in return for rebates.
	HM Treasury recognises that prompt payment is critical to the cash flow of every business, particularly small and medium sized enterprises. All valid goods and services invoices it receives are already paid as soon as they have been authorised by the HM Treasury officials responsible for the contract. In 2012 HM Treasury Group paid 88% of invoices within five working days.

Climate Change Levy

Peter Luff: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the answer of 26 March 2013, Official Report, column 1069W, on Climate Change Levy: bricks, what progress he has made on setting out the scope of the ceramics industry to be exempt from the Climate Change Levy.

Sajid Javid: The Government is currently seeking views from industry on the design and scope of the metallurgical and mineralogical exemption from the climate change levy, announced at Budget 2013. This work is led by HM Revenue and Customs, who are working closely with industry in order to gain a clear understanding as to which processes should be covered by the new exemption. This will be followed in the summer by round table meetings to discuss these findings.
	Draft legislation to implement the exemption will be published around the time of the autumn statement 2013. This will provide a further opportunity for interested parties to comment. As announced at the Budget, the new exemption will be introduced from 1 April 2014.
	This approach is consistent with Government's commitment to better tax policy making, in which tax changes are announced at Budget and legislated in the following year's Finance Bill in order to allow proper scrutiny and consultation and hence improve stability and predictability of the tax system.

Developing Countries: Tax Avoidance

David Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he plans to take to ensure that UK-linked tax havens do not enable tax avoidance in developing countries.

David Gauke: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 20 June 2013, Official Report, column 776W.

Financial Institutions

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with (a) the Co-operative Bank, (b) the Royal Bank of Scotland, (c) Barclays, (d) Lloyds Banking Group and (e) Nationwide about their capital positions.

Sajid Javid: Treasury Ministers and officials engage with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors, as part of the process of policy development and delivery. The Treasury publishes a list off ministerial meetings with external organisations. This is available online at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/minister_hospitality.htm
	The Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) is responsible for the prudential regulation and supervision of banks and building societies.

Income Tax: Scotland

Gregg McClymont: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 6 June 2013, Official Report, column 1239W, on income tax: Scotland, if he will (a) name each member of the Scotland Act Pensions Technical Group and (b) indicate in what capacity each such person is a member of the Group.

David Gauke: The following organisations have been represented on the Scotland Act Pensions Technical Group—Association of British Insurers, Association of Member-directed Pension Schemes, Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland, Law Society of Scotland, Low Incomes Tax Reform Group, National Association of Pension Funds, National Employment Savings Trust, Scottish Government, Scottish Widows, Society of Pensions Consultants and Standard Life.

Limited Liability

Julian Huppert: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many limited liability partnerships (LLPs) have been created since 2000; how many partners have been created in such LLPs in that period; and what their average income is.

David Gauke: Between 2000 and 2012 a total of 77,000 UK limited liability partnerships were newly registered with Companies House. There were 376,000 partners within these entities including both individual and corporate partners.
	An individual or company can be a member of more than one UK limited liability partnership.
	Estimates of the average income of these partners could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

National Insurance Contributions

Richard Fuller: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research his Department has undertaken on the impact of combining increases in the employment allowance and payment of the living wage on (a) small businesses, (b) government receipts, (c) employment and (d) income for the lowest decile and quintile of employed households.

Sajid Javid: There is no universally agreed definition of a living wage.
	The Treasury has not carried out any research on the impacts of combining increases in the employment allowance and payment of the living wage.

Private Sector: Employment

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the rate of private sector employment growth.

Sajid Javid: Private sector employment has been growing robustly. Over 2012 it grew by 3%, the fastest rate since 2000. Since the start of 2010 private sector employment has increased by 1.3 million and for every one job lost in the public sector over the last year, nearly five have been created in the private sector. There are now more people employed in the UK than ever before.

Public Expenditure

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the equality impact of his Department's spending reductions since 2010; whether this assessment has been used to inform his planning ahead of the 2013 comprehensive spending review and with what result; what plans he has to publish the equality impact assessments undertaken by his Department as a result of the upcoming comprehensive spending review; and if he will make a statement.

Sajid Javid: HM Treasury considers equalities issues in the usual course of its work in order to comply with equality legislation and to ensure it understands how its activities will affect specific groups in society.
	Departments provided HMT with equalities assessments of their main areas of expenditure, both before and during the spending round 2013 process. HMT (as a Department with its own corporate budget) responded to these commissions in order to inform overall spending round advice on HMT.
	Departmental equalities assessments have fully informed advice to Ministers on spending round decisions. A statement on the outcome of the spending round will be made on 26 June 2013 and the spending round document will be published at that time.

Public Expenditure: North East

Nick Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what funding he plans to devolve to the proposed North East Combined Authority from 1 April 2014 to enable it to promote better transport, skills and economic development.

Danny Alexander: The Government welcomes the development of the North East Combined Authority and looks forward to working with this new body to devolve resources overtime.
	Specifically, the Government has confirmed that it will implement Lord Heseltine's recommendation that economic development spending should be devolved to local areas through a single pot from April 2015.
	Alongside the Budget we published more detail on the creation of the Single Local Growth Fund and Growth Deals. The next step is an announcement on the size and content of the Fund as part of the spending round.
	The Government also confirmed that it agrees with Lord Heseltine's recommendation to streamline the management of the EU Structural and Investment Funds (EU SI Funds) in England. The large majority of funds in the EU SI Funds Growth Programme will be notionally allocated to LEP areas. This will give LEPs freedom to prioritise spend in their local areas from 2014 onwards.

Public Sector: Borrowing

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes his Department has made since 2010 to methods used to calculate public borrowing.

Sajid Javid: The Treasury has made no changes to the methods used to calculate public borrowing since 2010.
	The Office for National Statistics has made changes during this period in response to Eurostat guidance and other classification decisions.

Public Sector: Borrowing

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the effect on Government borrowing of interest payments on quantitative easing remaining on the Bank of England's books instead being counted as Treasury receipts.

Sajid Javid: The Office for Budget Responsibility is responsible for producing forecasts of the public finances.
	A full description of the Bank of England Asset Purchase Facility Fund treatment, including its effects on borrowing, is set out on table 4.4 on page 97 of the OBR's March 2013 Economic and Fiscal Outlook publication.

Revenue and Customs

Julie Elliott: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 17 June 2013, Official Report, column 455W, on Members: correspondence, if he will make it his policy to reopen the HM Revenue and Customs enquiry centres, closed as part of the pilot scheme, if such a reopening is supported in the public consultation.

David Gauke: No decisions have been made about the future of HM Revenue and Custom's inquiry centres after the pilot concludes. The public consultation is only one factor in that decision making process. The feedback is being collated and will be considered along with all of the data gathered.
	HMRC will evaluate all of the information gathered from the pilot and plans to announce its decision on the way forward in January 2014.

Smuggling: Tobacco

Stephen Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what expenditure HM Revenue and Customs incurred on Government publicity campaigns to prevent tobacco smuggling in 2011-12 and 2012-13.

Sajid Javid: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 5 June 2013, Official Report, column 1169W, regarding the expenditure incurred by HM Revenue and Customs on Government publicity campaigns to prevent tobacco smuggling in 2011-12 and 2012-13.

Stephen Hester

Paul Flynn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the role of UK Financial Investments (UKFI) was in determining the amount of compensation received by Stephen Hester as outgoing Chief Executive of RBS; and whether the compensation paid to Mr Hester had to be authorised by UKFI.

Sajid Javid: The terms of Stephen Hester's departure are a matter for the Board of RBS. UKFI was consulted on the terms, but the final decision was for the RBS Board.

Tax Allowances: Cultural Heritage

Helen Goodman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the number and value of tax exempt heritage assets which are (a) land, buildings and their contents, (b) works of art and (c) collections of art.

David Gauke: The numbers of tax exempt heritage assets are: (a) 374 land and buildings, (b) 114,342 works of art, and (c) 103 collections of art.
	Information about the value of these assets is not available.

Tax Allowances: Cultural Heritage

Helen Goodman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what minimum requirement he has placed on public access to tax exempt heritage assets.

David Gauke: The minimum requirement on public access to tax exempt heritage assets depends on the type and location of the asset, and the tax involved. For inheritance tax exemptions, for land and buildings, and any historically associated objects, it is at least 28 days (for properties in England and Wales) or 25 days (for properties in Scotland). For chattels the minimum requirement is at least one month. There are no public access requirements for estate duty exemptions.

Tax Allowances: Cultural Heritage

Helen Goodman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average number of days the public had access to tax exempt heritage assets was in (a) 2005, (b) 2010 and (c) 2012.

David Gauke: The information requested on the average number of days that the public had access to tax exempt heritage assets could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.

Taxation: Lancashire

Jake Berry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families in (a) Blackburn with Darwen and (b) Rossendale local authority area were taken out of paying tax in (i) 2012 and (ii) 2013 to date.

David Gauke: By April 2013, the cumulative effect of the Government's increases in the personal allowance for those aged under 65 years (born after 5 April 1948 since 2013-14 tax year) since 2010-11 had taken 2.4 million people out of the income tax system while over 25 million individuals will have seen their income tax liability reduced.
	This estimate is based on the 2010-11 Survey of Personal Incomes, projected to 2013-14 using economic assumptions consistent with the Office for Budget Responsibility's March 2013 economic and fiscal outlook.
	Reliable estimates are not available at the local authority level due to greater uncertainties in making projections for small geographical areas.

Taxation: Shipping

Alan Whitehead: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on the collection of revenues from any proposed international pricing of carbon dioxide emissions from shipping.

Sajid Javid: Where greenhouse gas emissions from ships are concerned, the UK's strong preference is for a global market based solution to be developed and adopted in the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). In line with our principles of fiscal sovereignty the Government believes that any revenues from such schemes should accrue to national governments.

Termination of Employment

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions (a) a compromise agreement, (b) a confidentiality clause and (c) judicial mediation was used when an employee of (i) his Department and (ii) the public bodies for which he is responsible left their employment in (A) 2010-11, (B) 2011-12 and (C) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Sajid Javid: I refer the hon. Member to the answer on 16 April 2013, Official Report, column 294W.
	There are no occasions when judicial mediation was used.

Trade Competitiveness

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the UK's business competitiveness.

Sajid Javid: Under this Government, Britain has moved into the top 10 of the most competitive places in the world for business according to the World Economic Forum.
	Corporation tax is now the lowest of any major western economy; government is investing more in transport infrastructure in this Parliament than in the last, red tape has been cut by nearly £850 million in the last two years; and exports to China, India and Brazil are up by almost two thirds since 2009.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Billing

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment his Department has made of the savings it could achieve by paying its suppliers early in return for rebates.

Brandon Lewis: My Department pays 80% of its suppliers within five days or less as part of its commitment to pay suppliers promptly and therefore there is little scope to secure further prompt payment savings. We ensure value for money for our prompt payment commitment by disclosing our payment policy and inviting tenders on this basis.

Community Land Trusts

Andy Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many community land trusts there are in England.

Mark Prisk: We do not hold a central register of community land trusts. However, the Community Land Trust Network has reported that there are now over 150 community land trusts in England, ranging from fledgling organisations that are just starting out, to organisations that have developed homes or other assets.

Community Land Trusts

Andy Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the potential benefits of community land trusts with regard to the creation of new affordable and intermediate market housing.

Mark Prisk: This Government fully supports the work of community land trusts, and other organisations that support and empower their local communities. Community land trusts have played an important role in helping communities bring forward the type of development that they wanted to see.
	The Homes and Communities Agency has set aside a portion of the Affordable Homes Programme to fund community-led development. It has published guidance to help community-led groups to access this funding.
	The Government's £30 million Custom Build Fund offers short-term project finance by way of loan funding to group custom build schemes, including community groups and community land trusts. The aim of the fund is to help unlock custom build schemes which are experiencing difficulties in accessing conventional development finance.
	We also provide funding through the Community Right to Build for community groups such as community land trusts to bring forward developments in their area—whether affordable housing, market homes or local shops or community facilities. We will shortly be releasing details of how we are expanding this fund to allow it to be used for groups using the traditional planning application route. £14 million is available over the next two years to support groups outside London. In London, separate arrangements apply, overseen by the Mayor.
	Many community land trusts are using the mechanisms we are putting in place to help facilitate delivery of the benefits that they want to achieve for their communities. These will be of benefit to urban as well as rural community land trusts.

Community Land Trusts

Andy Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his policy is on designating exception sites as community land trusts.

Mark Prisk: Rural exception sites aim to address the needs of the local community by accommodating households who are either current residents or have an existing family or employment connection. The National Planning Policy Framework allows for a small number of market homes on an exception site at the local authority's discretion—for example, where this is deemed essential to enable the delivery of affordable homes without grant funding.
	Local authorities are best placed to decide what kind of development is suitable in communities. However, this Government believes that authorities should plan positively to meet local requirements for affordable and market housing. This could include designating a site being developed by the local community.
	For example, East Cambridgeshire district council—in their current local plan review—have developed a new planning policy to facilitate community-led development. The new policy will permit community-based organisations, including Community Land Trusts, to bring forward a mixed tenure development proposal on an exception site provided it meets key planning criteria. The Local Plan will be submitted for examination by the Planning Inspectorate in August 2013.

Housing: Energy

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps his Department is taking to encourage local authorities to use funds from the Energy Company Obligation to address energy inefficient housing.

Gregory Barker: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department of Energy and Climate Change.
	The Department engages closely with local authorities and their representative organisation, the Local Government Association (LGA), and published new guidance under the Home Energy Conservation Act last July. This requires all English LAs to report to the Secretary of State by 31 March 2013 on measures they propose to improve the energy efficiency of all the residential accommodation across their area. Such measures would include plans to deliver ECO and the Green Deal. To date, nearly three quarters of LAs have published plans.

Termination of Employment

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on how many occasions (a) a compromise agreement, (b) a confidentiality clause and (c) judicial mediation was used when an employee of (i) his Department and (ii) the public bodies for which he is responsible left their employment in (A) 2010-11, (B) 2011-12 and (C) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Brandon Lewis: The information requested is not centrally held. However, the Department now has a central record of all employment tribunal related compromise agreements. There have been no agreements in the current financial year.
	However, I refer the hon. Member to the National Audit Office's recent report, including the steps that Ministers have taken within our Department and in local government to increase accountability and transparency (‘Confidentiality clauses and special severance payments’, HC 130, 21. June 2013, para 2.4 and para 4.6).

Tesco: Margate

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent representations he has received on the decision to allow Tesco to build a superstore in Margate.

Nicholas Boles: The decision letter, a copy of which is on my Department's website, lists the representations and material considerations that were taken into account.

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Disciplinary Proceedings

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities how many staff were suspended from the Government Equalities Office on full pay in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and what costs were incurred as a result of such suspensions.

Maria Miller: The number of DCMS staff suspended and costs incurred are as follows:
	(a) FY 2010-11: two suspensions at a total cost of £31,314 (gross);
	(b) FY 2011-12: two suspensions at a total cost of £11,525 (gross);
	(c) FY 2012-13: one suspension at a total cost of £5,268 (gross).
	The figures provided equate to the individuals' salaries and total costs to the Department during their suspensions.
	The figures at a, b and c reflect that no staff were suspended from the Government Equalities Office on full pay in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Bangladesh

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Bangladesh government regarding the disappearance of former MP, Mr Ilias Ali and other political disappearances.

Alistair Burt: We have consistently called upon the Bangladesh Government to conduct an impartial, credible, and transparent investigation into the disappearance of Mr Ilias Ali, and into alleged disappearances of other political figures. Our High Commissioner in Dhaka raised these issues directly with the Bangladesh Government on 25 April. The Senior Minister of State, my noble Friend the right hon. Baroness Warsi, raised the issue of disappearances with the Bangladesh Prime Minister during her visit to Bangladesh in February.
	The British Government takes human rights very seriously and follows progress closely, raising concerns where there are credible allegations. We welcome the Government's assurances that they are committed to protecting human rights and recognize the positive progress that has been made across a range of social development indicators. But allegations of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearance, such as that of Ilias Ali and his driver almost a year ago, are deeply concerning.
	At Bangladesh's 2nd Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council on 29 April, the UK recommended that the Government of Bangladesh thoroughly and impartially investigate and, if credible evidence emerges, prosecute all allegations of human rights violations.

Conditions of Employment

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff were retained on zero-hour contracts by (a) his Department and (b) the executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12 and (iii) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: As mentioned in my replies to the hon. Member for Sunderland Central (Julie Elliott), on 25 January 2013, Official Report, column 321W, and the hon. Member for Airdrie and Shotts (Pamela Nash), on 3 June 2013, Official Report, column 856W, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) do not employ the term "Zero Hour Contract" with its employed staff. However, we have interpreted the question to mean staff who are employed for specific work and are only paid/reimbursed for the work they undertake.
	The FCO currently have five members of staff on this type of contract. This number has reduced in the last two years. However, to confirm actual figures for previous years would incur disproportionate cost.

Egypt

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the sentencing by the Cairo Criminal Court of 43 NGO employees as a result of their purported conviction for illegal working in Egypt; and what plans he has to make representations to the government of Egypt about freedom of association and freedom of worship, including Christian worship.

Alistair Burt: On 4 June the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), raised his concerns about the verdict with a senior figure in the Egyptian presidency, and I issued a statement expressing our concern. We assess that the verdict signals an overly restrictive approach to how NGO employees are able to carry out their work. Civil society has a vital role to play in Egypt's transition. We continue to call on the authorities to create an environment which allows a vibrant civil society to flourish.
	We continue to raise with the Egyptian authorities the importance of freedom of association as a vital part of a democratic society. Foreign Office Ministers have been clear throughout events in Egypt since the revolution that freedom of religious belief, and people's ability to worship in peace, must be protected. I discussed our concerns about the protection of minorities, including Christians and women with senior members of the Egypt Government when I visited Egypt in January and with the Egyptian Foreign Minister by telephone on 18 February. I issued a statement on 8 April to strongly condemn the violent clashes that occurred outside St Mark's Coptic Cathedral in Cairo on 7 April, leaving at least one person dead and many others injured. We continue to raise these human rights issues frequently with the Egyptian authorities.

Occupied Territories

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much of the £7 million allocated by the European Commission for the Occupied Palestinian Territory will be spent on infrastructure in Area C.

Alistair Burt: The £7 million euros allocated by the European Commission is aimed at supporting the Palestinian presence and promoting social and economic development in Area C, which is of crucial importance for the economic viability of Palestine through a variety of means, including development of basic infrastructure. No breakdown of specific allocations is publically available.

Saudi Arabia

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will condemn publicly the conviction and 10-month prison sentence awarded to Fawzia Al Ayuni and Wajiha Al Huaider in Saudi Arabia.

Alistair Burt: I am concerned at the harsh sentences given out by the judge, in view of the progress Saudi Arabia is making to reform women’s rights in other areas. I understand the two women were convicted of the offence of takhbib under Sharia Law—or incitement of a wife to defy the authority of her husband—and that they are banned from leaving the kingdom for two years, I understand that there is a right to appeal.

Turkey

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with (a) his Turkish counterpart, (b) his EU counterparts and (c) representatives of international organisations about the political demonstrations in Turkey.

David Lidington: We are concerned by the disturbing events in Turkey in recent days and are monitoring events closely. Freedom of expression and assembly are important rights in any democracy and we support all efforts to address the protesters concerns through dialogue.
	The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), discussed the protests with Ahmet Davutoglu, the Turkish Foreign Minister on 11 June as part of a broader discussion and encouraged a peaceful resolution. I made the same points to the Turkish EU Affairs Minister, Egemen Bagis on 13 June.
	The protests featured in discussions between the Prime Minister and his EU counterparts in the margins of the G8 summit. I discussed the protests with EU partners at the Foreign Affairs Council on 24 June. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials hosted a human rights roundtable discussion on Turkey, in London on 19 June, which included representatives from international non-government organisations.

Turkey

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of pressure by the Turkish government on media outlets following the recent political demonstrations in that country; and what discussions he has had with (a) his Turkish counterpart, (b) his EU counterparts and (c) representatives of international organisations about media freedom and press censorship in Turkey in the light of any such reports.

David Lidington: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) and I have discussed the protests with our Turkish counterparts and encouraged a peaceful resolution. We are aware of reports of arrests in connection with social media use. Freedom of assembly, association and expression are important rights and it remains important that all commitments enshrined in the European Convention of Human Rights are respected. We hope the issues raised by the protestors are resolved through an inclusive process of constructive engagement and dialogue.
	I discussed the protests with EU partners at the Foreign Affairs Council on 24 June. The protests featured in discussions between the Prime Minister and his EU counterparts in the margins of the G8 summit. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials have also held discussions on the protests and press freedom with representatives of international human rights organisations.

Turkey

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the current state of media freedom in Turkey and the position of the Turkish government on media freedom and peaceful protests; and whether he plans to make representations about media freedom in Turkey.

David Lidington: We and our EU partners continue to take a close interest in press and other freedoms in Turkey and our concerns are reflected in the EU's Annual Progress Reports on Turkey. The UK plays an integral part in delivering the EU human rights strategy in Turkey and, together with our EU partners, we will continue to urge Turkey to make further progress on the full range of human rights issues, including press freedom. We welcome the Turkish Government's recent adoption of judicial reform packages that are aimed at reducing blockages in the judicial system and reforming anti-terror laws. The introduction of a Human Rights Ombudsman in November 2012 will also help to improve the outlook for fundamental freedoms in Turkey.
	The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), discussed the protests with Ahmet Davutoglu, the Turkish Foreign Minister on 11 June as part of a broader discussion and encouraged a peaceful resolution. I made the same points to the Turkish EU Affairs Minister, Egemen Bagis on 13 June. We remain committed to supporting Turkey's EU accession process which we believe is an effective way to continue encouraging Turkey's important reform agenda.

Turkey

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the ability of consular services of his Department to support British nationals in Turkey affected by the recent political disturbances.

David Lidington: Consular services in Turkey are provided through the British embassy in Ankara and Consulates in Istanbul, Izmir, Bodrum, Marmaris, Fethiye and Antalya. Consular staff have provided assistance to a number of British nationals affected by the recent political disturbances in Turkey and stand ready to provide further assistance where necessary.
	Our consular response has been reviewed daily since the start of the disturbances to ensure adequate support is being provided to British nationals. No additional consular resources have been required as of today.
	Consular services, including those in Turkey, are regularly reviewed to ensure they continue to provide a consistent high level of consular assistance. Consular services in Turkey were last reviewed in March 2012.

Turkey

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contingency plans he has made to support British nationals in Turkey following the start of the recent political disturbances; and what discussions he has had with his Turkish counterpart on the safety of British nationals.

David Lidington: The British Government regularly updates its travel advice in response to evolving developments surrounding the demonstrations. Our travel advice to British citizens is based on regular assessments of the political situation in Turkey.
	So far we have received one report of a British national being caught up in the demonstrations, he was arrested on 15 June and the British Consulate in Istanbul is providing consular assistance. Our Consular network in Istanbul and across Turkey is continuing to monitor the situation closely.
	We maintain a wide range of contingency planning for a range of eventualities across our entire global network. We do not discuss these plans publicly.
	I made the same points to the Turkish EU Affairs Minister. Egemen Bagis on 13 June. We will continue to follow events closely.

HEALTH

Ambulance Services

Andy Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  under what circumstances he would intervene to remove the board of an ambulance trust;
	(2)  what mechanisms exist for intervention in an ambulance trust that demonstrates serious failings over a sustained period.

Anna Soubry: If an ambulance trust is an NHS trust, where there is evidence of clinical or financial failure and it is deemed to be the only solution remaining to remedy the situation, then the Secretary of State would consider the powers available to remove an NHS trust board in consultation with the NHS Trust Development Authority.
	Ambulance trusts are held to account for delivery of their services through the NHS Trust Development Authority's operating model, “Delivering High Quality Care for Patients: The Accountability Framework for NHS Trust Boards”. This gives details of the on-going oversight mechanisms for all NHS trusts, including ambulance service providers, and an escalation route where intervention may be required.
	Ambulance trusts that are foundation trusts are independent of Department of Health control, and the Secretary of State has no power to remove the board. Monitor is the independent healthcare regulator with responsibility for oversight of foundation trusts with a core duty to protect and promote the interests of patients. Monitor does have the power to remove members of the board should certain provider licence conditions be breached.
	Monitor's approach to regulation of foundation trusts is set out in its Compliance Framework.

Ambulance Services: Northamptonshire

Andy Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will meet a delegation from Corby and East Northamptonshire to discuss ambulance services in that region.

Anna Soubry: The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, my noble Friend Earl Howe, has responsibility for ambulance services and would be happy to meet the hon. Member to discuss ambulance services in the Corby and East Northamptonshire area.

Billing

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the savings it could achieve by paying its suppliers early in return for rebates.

Anna Soubry: The Department of Health complies with the Government's prompt payment policy, set by Cabinet Office, that 80% of undisputed invoices are to be paid within five days of receipt at the Department's nominated address.
	An assessment of potential savings from supplier rebates has not been undertaken by the Department at this time.

Cancer

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether the clinical directors for cancer strategic clinical networks have been appointed;
	(2)  whether he proposes that improvements on cancer patient experience made by providers and commissioners will be rewarded financially.

Anna Soubry: Clinical directors for cancer strategic clinical networks are appointed by the Area Team Medical Directors of NHS England. The appointments process is on-going with some, but not all, appointments being made.
	NHS England is required through the mandate to deliver improvements in patient experience for everyone using NHS services in England, including cancer patients. There are already financial rewards in place for commissioners and providers who deliver improvement in patient experience. NHS England is currently reviewing which financial rewards should be in place for next year, based on evidence of what works, in order to improve quality across all five domains of the NHS Outcomes Framework, including patient experience.

Cataracts

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cataract operations were performed in NHS hospitals in 2012-13.

Anna Soubry: This information is not yet available. The latest information available is for the five years leading up to 2011-12, and is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Count of finished consultant episodes (FCEs) with a cataracts procedure, for NHS providers, 2007-08 to 2011-12: Activity in English NHS Hospitals 
			  FCEs 
			 2007-08 312,747 
			 2008-09 327,742 
			 2009-10 330,599 
			 2010-11 317,315 
			 2011-12 307,097 
			 Notes: 1. Finished Consultant Episode (FCE) A finished consultant episode (FCE) is a continuous period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one health care provider. FCEs are counted against the year in which they end, Figures do not represent the number of different patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the same stay in hospital or in different stays in the same year. 2. Cataracts procedure This involves a combination of diagnosis (ICD10) and procedure (OPCS) codes ICD10 codes in a primary or secondary position: The number of episodes where this diagnosis was recorded in any of the 20 (14 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and seven prior to 2002-03) primary and secondary diagnosis fields in a Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) record. Each episode is only counted once, even if the diagnosis is recorded in more than one diagnosis field of the record. H25 Senile cataract H26 Other cataract Q120 Congenital cataract or in a secondary position only: H280 Diabetic cataract H281 Cataract in other endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases H282 Cataract in other diseases classified elsewhere OPCS codes in a primary or secondary position: The number of episodes where the procedure (or intervention) was recorded in any of the 24 (12 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and four prior to 2002-03) procedure fields in a Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) record. A record is only included once in each count, even if the procedure is recorded in more than one procedure field of the record. Note that more procedures are carried out than episodes with a main or secondary procedure. For example, patients under going a ‘cataract operation’ would tend to have at least two procedures—removal of the faulty lens and the fitting of a new one—counted in a single episode. C71. Extracapsular extraction of lens C72. Intracapsular extraction of lens C73. Incision of capsule of lens C74. Other extraction of lens C75. Prosthesis of lens C77. Other operations on lens 3. NHS/Non-NHS provider This is determined by the provider code of the organisation—those beginning with 8 or N are independent providers whereas others are NHS providers. 4. Assessing growth through time (In-patients) HES figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. Changes to the figures over time need to be interpreted in the context of improvements in data quality and coverage (particularly in earlier years), improvements in coverage of independent sector activity (particularly from 2006-07) and changes in NHS practice. For example, changes in activity may be due to changes in the provision of care. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information Centre

Chiropody

Andy Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the importance of podiatry to people's overall health; what guidance his Department has issued to local commissioners on podiatry services; what amount was spent in 2012-13 on podiatry services in each English constituency; and what the expected level of spending on podiatry services is for each English constituency in 2014-15.

Daniel Poulter: There has been no assessment made by the Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), on the importance of podiatry to people's overall health, and the Department has issued no guidance on the commissioning of podiatry services. It is the responsibility of local clinical commissioning groups to commission services to meet the needs of their community including the provision of podiatry services. The Department does not centrally collect the data on the amount that was spent on podiatry in the past or within each constituency, or what the expected level of spending on podiatry services will be in the future. The spend and priority of allocation of podiatry services is for local determination.

Clinical Commissioning Groups

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 17 June 2013, Official Report, column 556W on NHS: finance, if he will (a) produce and place in the Library a document setting out the 2013-14 financial allocation to each clinical commissioning group (CCG) on a per capita basis and (b) request that the advisory panel on NHS funding calculate how much funding per capita would have been provided to each CCG in North Yorkshire and York if the division of the baseline sum for each CCG had been split according to the NHS funding formula used to determine the split of resources between primary care trusts.

Anna Soubry: Allocations to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) are the responsibility of NHS England.
	A copy of the document setting out the 2013-14 financial allocation to each CCG on a per capita basis has already been placed in the Library.
	We have been informed that, it is not possible to say how much each CCG would have received per capita if the primary care trust (PCT) weighted capitation formula had been used to set targets with any accuracy. This is because the formula operated at PCT level and PCTs and CCGs in North Yorkshire and York have different populations and boundaries, and also have different commissioning responsibilities. In addition, it is not possible to say what pace of change policy would have been implemented (if any) under a hypothetical set of target allocations.

Electronic Cigarettes

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the health hazard or otherwise of secondary smoke inhalation from people using electronic cigarettes; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Lamb: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has completed a period of scientific research into the safety and quality of nicotine containing products, including electronic cigarettes. One aspect of this research was to monitor the scientific literature and research for information relating to passive inhalation of electronic cigarette vapour.
	The limited number of studies conducted to date indicate that the risk of passive exposure to electronic cigarette vapour was very small relative to tobacco cigarettes and that there is no apparent risk to health. Further research was, however, recommended to evaluate the impact of e-cigarettes on indoor air quality and to estimate any possible effects of passive inhalation of e-cigarette vapour.
	Summaries of these studies can be accessed in the Commission on Human Medicines Working Group on Nicotine Containing Products (NCPs) paper on the quality, safety and efficacy of unlicensed NCPs at:
	www.mhra.gov.uk/NCPs

Health

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of local authorities in promoting better public health through services addressing the wider determinants of health such as leisure provision, housing, reducing anti-social behaviour and environmental improvements.

Norman Lamb: The Government believes that local government is best placed to influence many of the wider factors that affect health and wellbeing. That is why upper tier local authorities have been given a statutory duty to take appropriate steps to improve the health of their populations.
	Health and wellbeing boards were established on a statutory basis in every upper-tier authority in England on 1 April 2013. Health and wellbeing boards bring together national health service, public health and social care, as well as elected representatives and representatives of local Healthwatch, and they will consider how to improve the health and wellbeing of the local populations, and reduce health inequalities. They are responsible for developing a joint understanding of local health and care needs through joint strategic needs assessments (JSNAs); and a shared set of priorities and a strategy to address these in Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategies (JHWSs). JSNAs and JHWSs will form the basis of NHS and local authorities’ own commissioning plans, across health, social care, public health and children’s services. They will also provide opportunities for integrated service planning across the health and care system and for working with local partners to address the wider determinants of health, such as housing, education and leisure provision.
	We recognise that addressing the social determinants of health across the life course is crucial to improving health outcomes and reducing health inequalities. This approach underpins our Public Health White Paper (Healthy Lives, Healthy People), which draws on the findings of the strategic review of health inequalities in England—the Marmot review.
	Public Health England will support local authorities as necessary in having the right evidence and information to inform local action. Information about progress for each local area will be available through the Public Health Outcome Framework indicators.

Health Services: Essex

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) managers and (b) administrative staff were employed in each NHS trust in Essex in each year since 2009; and what proportion of the total staff of each trust each figure represents.

Daniel Poulter: The information requested is provided in the following tables:
	
		
			 All NHS staff by specified staff groups and organisations as at 30 September 2009 
			 Full-time equivalent and percentage 
			    Of which: 
			   All NHS Staff Clerical and administrative Manager Senior manager Percentage clerical and administrative Percentage manager Percentage senior manager 
			 5P1 South East Essex PCT 1,467 195 25 129 13.3 1.7 8.8 
			 5PV West Essex PCT 1,527 235 80 11 15.4 5.3 0.7 
			 5PW North East Essex PCT 1,940 366 53 27 18.9 2.7 1.4 
			 5PX Mid Essex PCT 1,733 254 71 24 14.6 4.1 1.4 
			 5PY South West Essex PCT 2,308 451 72 110 19.5 3.1 4.8 
			 RAJ Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 3,673 692 77 45 18.8 2.1 1.2 
			 RDD Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 3,562 744 27 30 20.9 0.8 0.8 
			 RDE Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust 2,959 538 50 28 18.2 1.7 0.9 
			 RQ8 Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust 3,206 508 75 28 15.8 2.4 0.9 
			 RQW Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust 2,560 520 77 6 20.3 3.0 0.2 
			 RRD North Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust 1,614 310 35 16 19.2 2.1 1.0 
			 RWN South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust 1,800 351 72 30 19.5 4.0 1.7 
			 RYC East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust 3,829 681 174 28 17.8 4.5 0.7 
		
	
	
		
			 All NHS staff by specified staff groups and organisations as at 30 September 2010 
			 Full-time equivalent and percentage 
			    Of which: 
			   All NHS Staff Clerical and administrative Manager Senior manager Percentage clerical and administrative Percentage manager Percentage senior manager 
			 5P1 South East Essex PCT 1,562 225 19 143 14.4 1.2 9.2 
			 5PV West Essex PCT 1,584 292 70 24 18.4 4.4 1.5 
			 5PW North East Essex PCT 1,745 358 49 26 20.5 2.8 1.5 
			 5PX Mid Essex PCT 1,641 272 47 37 16.6 2.9 2.3 
			 5PY South West Essex PCT 2,356 453 127 57 19.2 5.4 2.4 
			 RAJ Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 3,730 694 85 51 18.6 2.3 1.4 
			 RDD Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 3,723 724 27 18 19.4 0.7 0.5 
			 RDE Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust 3,076 557 53 29 18.1 1.7 0.9 
			 RQ8 Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust 3,208 534 64 12 16.6 2.0 0.4 
			 RQW Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust 2,695 579 14 5 21.5 0.5 0.2 
			 RRD North Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust 1,732 326 37 14 18.8 2.1 0.8 
			 RWN South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust 2,913 547 62 62 18.8 2.1 2.1 
			 RYC East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust 3,609 652 94 22 18.1 2.6 0.6 
		
	
	
		
			 All NHS staff by specified staff groups and organisations as at 30 September 2011 
			 Full-time equivalent and percentage 
			    Of which: 
			   All NHS Staff Clerical and administrative Manager Senior manager Percentage clerical and administrative Percentage manager Percentage senior manager 
			 5P1 South East Essex PCT 1,532 197 31 126 12.9 2.0 8.2 
			 5PV West Essex PCT 1,497 201 58 21 13.4 3.9 1.4 
			 5PW North East Essex PCT 1,796 367 46 26 20.4 2.6 1.5 
			 5PX Mid Essex PCT 1,783 260 43 38 14.6 2.4 2.1 
			 5PY South West Essex PCT 2,228 332 75 80 14.9 3.4 3.6 
			 RAJ Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 3,802 695 98 48 18.3 2.6 1.3 
			 RDD Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 3,677 700 40 19 19.0 1.1 0.5 
			 RDE Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust 3,060 562 51 30 18.4 1.7 1.0 
			 RQ8 Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust 3,412 554 60 12 16.2 1.7 0.4 
			 RQW Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust 2,634 478 70 8 18.1 2.7 0.3 
			 RRD North Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust 1,701 322 29 13 18.9 1.7 0.7 
			 RWN South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust 2,754 484 50 60 17.6 1.8 2.2 
			 RYC East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust 3,640 655 101 22 18.0 2.8 0.6 
		
	
	
		
			 All NHS staff by specified staff groups and organisations as at 30 September 2012 
			 Full-time equivalent and percentage 
			    Of which: 
			   All NHS Staff Clerical and administrative Manager Senior manager Percentage clerical and administrative Percentage manager Percentage senior manager 
			 5P1 South East Essex PCT 962 84 35 100 8.7 3.6 10.4 
			 5PV West Essex PCT 808 108 25 12 13.4 3.1 1.4 
			 5PW North East Essex PCT 924 86 22 11 9.3 2.4 1.2 
			 5PX Mid Essex PCT 925 76 24 22 8.2 2.6 2.4 
			 5PY South West Essex PCT 1,004 70 42 60 7.0 4.2 6.0 
			 RAJ Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 3,824 693 98 46 18.1 2.6 1.2 
			 RDD Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 3,689 715 37 22 19.4 1.0 0.6 
			 RDE Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust 3,521 630 58 33 17.9 1.6 0.9 
			 RQ8 Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust 3,389 521 55 13 15.4 1.6 0.4 
			 RQW Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust 2,554 457 63 15 17.9 2.4 0.6 
			 RRD North Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust 1,801 327 35 15 18.2 2.0 0.9 
			 RWN South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust 4,924 826 99 73 16.8 2.0 1.5 
			 RYC East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust 3,676 724 104 19 19.7 2.8 0.5 
			 Notes: 1. Data include full-time equivalent staff. 2. Changes in Health and Community Health Service staff figures at organisation level may be due to moves in service provider to neighbouring Trusts or other organisations as part of Transforming Community Services (TCS). Source: Health and Social Care Information Centre, NHS Workforce Census

Heart Diseases

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps he is taking to improve treatment of heart disease in patients to the level of the best-performing countries;
	(2)  what proportion of patients diagnosed with heart disease died within one year of diagnosis in each of the last five years;
	(3)  what initiatives his Department has introduced since 2010 aimed at improving the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease.

Anna Soubry: Reducing mortality and improving outcomes for people with heart disease and other cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a key priority for this Government. CVD is specifically covered in both the Public Health and NHS Outcome Frameworks. NHS England works to improve the quality of NHS services and is held to account through the Mandate.
	Information on the proportion of patients diagnosed with heart disease who died within one year of diagnosis is not available in the format requested.
	The main initiative introduced since 2010 is the Government's CVD Outcomes Strategy, published in March 2013. The strategy acknowledges that the United Kingdom does not perform well compared with a range of similar countries in terms of mortality and disability from CVD.
	The strategy challenges the national health service to bring outcomes for patients with heart disease and other CVDs up to the level of the best of the rest of the world and sets out key actions for commissioners and providers to improve outcomes in stroke and other CVDs:
	to manage CVD as a single family of diseases;
	to improve prevention and risk management, including through the NHS Health Check Programme;
	to improve and enhance case finding in primary care;
	to better identify very high risk families and individuals;
	to improve management and secondary prevention in the community;
	to improve acute care;
	to improve care for patients living with CVD;
	to improve end of life care for CVD; and
	to improve intelligence, monitoring and research.

Hospitals

Andy Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what account his Department takes of demographic forecasts in the funding formula for local hospitals.

Anna Soubry: We have been advised by NHS England that the income a hospital earns is linked directly to the volume of activity and services that it delivers to its community. Local commissioners within clinical commissioning groups and NHS England (for specialised services) will decide what services to commission from a hospital and this will be based on assessment of the needs of the area, a primary, factor of which will be the age demographic and health deprivation of an area. This is a matter for the commissioners and is not a matter for the Department.

Hospitals: Capital Investment

Andy Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding is currently available to hospitals for capital projects.

Anna Soubry: Individual national health service trusts and NHS foundation trusts are responsible for developing and taking forward their own capital investment proposals. Where planned investment exceeds their available cash resources, NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts can apply to the Department for capital investment loans. They can also apply for an alternative type of funding, “Public Dividend Capital”, where their borrowing powers have been exhausted and urgent capital investment is required to support their financial recovery plan.

Human Trafficking

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what awareness raising campaigns on human trafficking his Department has undertaken with health professionals.

Anna Soubry: The Department commissioned Platform 51 to engage a range of stakeholders in developing resources to raise awareness of human trafficking among health professionals. In April 2013, the Department launched the health and trafficking e-learning resource and leaflet. These materials are designed to support health professionals to identify victims of trafficking and respond to their needs. The resources can be accessed at:
	www.gov.uk/government/publications/identifying-and-supporting-victims-of-human-trafficking-guidance-for-health-staff

Medical Records: Databases

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether patients who opted out of the Summary Care Record will be required to opt out again from the General Practice Extraction Service.

Daniel Poulter: In terms of people's concerns about data being shared securely with the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC), patients wishing to object to their Personal Confidential Data (PCD) flowing to HSCIC need to make their wishes clear to the general practitioner practice. Opting out of Summary Care Record does not automatically opt you put of PCD sharing.

Medical Records: Databases

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to undertake a public information campaign prior to the commencement of the General Practice Extraction Service.

Daniel Poulter: The British Medical Association (BMA), NHS England and the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) have jointly produced materials including an information leaflets and posters and FAQs which general practitioner (GP) practices should make available to their patients. GP practices are advised to make information available on their website and in regular patient communications, such as e-bulletins and patient newsletters. Awareness raising activity with patients will take place in the practice approximately eight weeks prior to GP General Extraction Service taking place.
	NHS England's published planning guidance to the NHS for 2013-14 (‘Everyone Counts’ December 2012) setting the commitment for a core set of clinical data to be collected from GP practices form 2013-14. NHS England has published the technical specification for GP practices alongside BMA guidance for GPs. A jointly signed statement from the BMA, RCGP and NHS England accompanied the guidance which can be found at:
	www.england.nhs.uk/2013/05/29/nhs-england-annou-tech-guide/

Medical Treatments

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the NHS budget was spent on (a) cancer treatments and (b) heart disease treatments in each of the last five years.

Anna Soubry: Estimates of national health service expenditure are available from programme budgeting data(1). Within the programme budgeting framework, "Cancer and tumours" is treated as a main programme budgeting category, coronary heart disease is treated as a subcategory(2) of "Problems of Circulation".
	Programme budgeting data provides an analysis of primary care trust (PCT) expenditure by specific healthcare conditions. In order to improve the quality of the programme budgeting data, the calculation methodology is continually refined, as are the underlying data sources which support programme budgeting. Therefore, it is important to note that, programme budgeting data cannot be used to analyse changes in investment in specific service areas between years.
	Table 1 shows estimated expenditure on "Cancer and Tumours" and "Problems of Circulation", which includes coronary heart disease as a subcategory(2). Table 2 shows the expenditure on each condition as a proportion of the total NHS expenditure, as reported through the programme budgeting collection(1).
	
		
			 Table 1: Expenditure 
			 £ billion 
			 Programme budgeting category 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			 Cancers and Tumours 4.57 4.84 5.57 5.50 5.50 
			       
			 Problems of Circulation 6.33 6.66 7.17 6.99 6.92 
			 Coronary Heart Disease 2.04 2.11 2.14 1.98 1.89 
			 Cerebrovascular Disease 0.88 0.99 1.12 0.79 0.81 
			 Problems of Rhythm 0.42 0.43 0.49 0.50 0.40 
			 Other 2.99 3.12 3.42 3.72 3.82 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Proportion of total NHS expenditure 
			 Percentage 
			 Programme budgeting category 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			 Cancers and Tumours 6.2 6.2 6.4 6.0 6.0 
			 Problems of Circulation 8.6 8.5 8.2 7.6 7.5 
			 Coronary Heart Disease 2.8 2.7 2.4 2.2 2.0 
			 Cerebrovascular Disease 1.2 1.3 1.3 0.9 0.9 
			 Problems of Rhythm 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.5 0.4 
			 Other 4.1 4.0 3.9 4.1 4.1 
			 (1 )Expenditure data are calculated from PCT programme budgeting returns. Programme budgeting returns are based on a subset of PCT accounts data and represent a subset of overall NHS expenditure data. (2) As detailed above, ‘Coronary heart disease’ is treated as a sub-category within the main category 'Problems of circulation'. The allocation of expenditure to programme budgeting subcategories is not always straightforward, and subcategory level data should therefore be used with caution. Notes: 1.There have been continual refinements to the programme budgeting calculation methodology since the first collection in 2003-04. For years 2003-04 to 2009-10 programme budgeting data was calculated using provider costs as a basis. Significant changes were introduced in 2010-11 with programme budgeting data now being calculated using the price paid for specific activities and services purchased from healthcare providers. PCTs follow standard guidance, procedures and mappings when calculating programme budgeting data. 2. Calculating programme budgeting data is complex and not all healthcare activity or services can be classified directly to a programme budgeting category. When it is not possible to reasonably estimate a programme budgeting category, expenditure is classified as 'Other'. 3. Expenditure on General Medical Services and Personal Medical Services cannot be reasonably estimated at disease specific level, and is separately identified as a subcategory of 'Other' expenditure.

Mental Health Services

Andy Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has issued to local clinical commissioning groups on the importance of commissioning good mental health services.

Norman Lamb: No such guidance has been issued to the national health service by the Department. However, the implementation framework for the mental health strategy makes clear our expectation that improving the commissioning of mental health services should form a vital element of clinical commissioning groups’ (CCG) and NHS England’s work to improve outcomes for people with mental health problems.
	The application process for CCG authorisation requires organisations to demonstrate that they have sufficient planned capacity and capability to commission improved outcomes in mental health.

Mesothelioma

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding (a) his Department and (b) the National Institute for Health Research have allocated to research into mesothelioma in each of the last 20 years.

Anna Soubry: Prior to the establishment of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) in April 2006, the main part of the Department's total health research expenditure was devolved to and managed by national health service organisations.
	The NHS organisations reported on their use of these allocations in annual research and development reports. These reports identify total, aggregated expenditure on national priority areas, including cancer. They do not provide details of research into particular cancer sites.
	From April 2006 to March 2009, transitional research funding was allocated to these organisations at reducing levels. At the same time, an increasing amount of NHS research funding was awarded competitively through new NIHR programmes and schemes.
	Expenditure by the NIHR through research programmes, research centres and units, and research training awards on mesothelioma research is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  £ million 
			 2006-07 0.0 
			 2007-08 0.0 
			 2008-09 0.0 
			 2009-10 0.0 
			 2010-11 0.0 
			 2011-12 0.0 
			 2012-13 0.2 
		
	
	Total spend by the NIHR on mesothelioma research is higher than this because expenditure by the NIHR Clinical Research Network (CRN) on this topic cannot be disaggregated from total CRN expenditure.

NHS: Pay

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS staff earned less than the living wage in each of the last five years.

Daniel Poulter: The latest living wage rates, announced in November 2012, are £8.55 per hour in London and £7.45 per hour in the rest of the country. This equates to annual full-time equivalent earnings of £16,718 in London and £14,567 elsewhere.
	Comparing these figures to the 2013-14 payscales, introduced in April 2013, for national health service hospital and community health services (HCHS) staff suggests only those staff on Agenda for Change pay point 1 and not in receipt of high cost area supplement payments would have earnings below the living wage thresholds.
	The Department estimates there are around 17,500 out of 1.2 million NHS HCHS staff in this situation. This is based on unvalidated data from the Electronic Staff Record Data Warehouse.
	This is only the second time that a single hourly living wage rates for those outside London have been available for comparison with NHS HCHS payscales. The previous rate, announced in May 2011, was £7.20 per hour for staff outside London. The equivalent figure for London was £8.30 per hour. This equates to annual full-time equivalent earnings of £16,299 in London and £14,079 elsewhere.
	If these thresholds are compared to the 2012-13 payscales, no NHS HCHS staff were paid less than the living wage.
	If these thresholds are compared to the 2011-12 payscales, only those staff on Agenda for Change pay point 1 and not in receipt of high cost area supplement payments would have earnings below the living wage thresholds.
	The Department estimates there were around 15,000 HCHS staff in this situation in 2011-12. This is based on unvalidated data from the Electronic Staff Record Data Warehouse.
	All NHS specific data refers to HCHS staff only. There may be some general practice or dental practice staff not employed directly by the NHS, below these thresholds.

NHS: Private Finance Initiative

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many contracts for private finance initiative schemes in the NHS were signed prior to May 1997; and what the total capital value of such contracts was.

Anna Soubry: No hospital private finance initiative contracts were signed prior to May 1997.

NHS: Standards

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps have been taken to deliver the NHS Mandate objective of making rapid progress in the measuring of and acting upon the patient experience.

Daniel Poulter: A major route by which we are achieving this objective is through the implementation of the Friends and Family Test (FFT). This improves services by making them more patient-centred and ensuring that they can respond quickly to feedback. It also means that commissioners and the public can hold services to account.
	The FFT was implemented in acute inpatients and accident and emergency services on 1 April 2013. It is being rolled out to maternity services by October 2013 and all other services as soon as possible.
	The test gives all patients the opportunity to give feedback about the care they received. Providers of services can use FFT results very quickly afterwards in order to learn what is working well, or improve what could be working better.
	The first set of national results from the FFT will be published towards the end of July and monthly thereafter. Providers and commissioners will be able to use the FFT as an early warning system for possible dips in performance, compare results between providers and use results in commissioning.
	The FFT builds on existing feedback mechanisms such as the National Patient Survey Programme run by the Care Quality Commission and the GP Patient Survey, and local "real-time" feedback methods.
	NHS England is building patient and public voice into its policy and programme development so that patient experience is at the heart of how the organisation works. It recruited over 300 patient and public voice representatives to the national Clinical Reference Groups for specialised services so that real experience of current NHS services is informing and shaping service improvement.
	Furthermore, NHS England is leading work to gather and use patient feedback in a range of ways and support providers and commissioners to make use of this feedback to drive improvements. They are working with the voluntary sector and patient groups to develop best practice in listening and reflecting the experience of patients and the public to better commission local services, as well as using assurance workshops that invite patients and carers to review how their experience and comments have been acted upon. Toolkits such as the 15 Steps Challenge, where staff and commissioners walk in the footsteps of patients, increases understanding of the experience from the patient perspective.

NHS: Standards

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the annual cost to the public purse is of the Friends and Family Test.

Daniel Poulter: Listening and acting on patient feedback from patients is a fundamental part of improving the care that the national health service provides. A key benefit of the Friends and Family Test is that it enables providers to see feedback in real-time and act on it to improve services. Furthermore, patients can compare providers and commissioners and the public can hold services to account.
	The impact assessment published by the Department in November 2012 estimated that the average annual costs for implementation of the Friends and Family Test in acute inpatients and accident and emergency, the first services in which it was implemented, would be approximately £5 million. However, actual implementation costs will vary from provider to provider and cost data is not being collected centrally.
	A copy of the impact assessment has been placed in the Library and is available at:
	www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/128461/DH-5169-Friends-and-Family-Test.pdf.pdf

Offences Against Children

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to ensure that (a) all frontline health professionals are given training on the warning signs of child sexual exploitation and (b) representatives from both primary and secondary care within any local multi-agency combat child sexual exploitation.

Daniel Poulter: Training strategies are now the primary responsibility of the newly-established Health Education England working with its 13 local education and training boards to develop plans to meet local needs. The relevant professional bodies and regulators are responsible for training and curricula.
	Any specific recommendations on training for health professionals on child sexual exploitation (CSE) will emerge from the report, due at the end of this year, of the Department's working group on child sexual exploitation. The group was set to identify what more could be done to improve the health response to CSE as one of the key actions under the cross-Government action plan on CSE. The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges also has work underway which will complement that of the Health Working Group on CSE.
	The Department has also publicised the ‘warning signs’ CSE checklist contained in the Office of the Children's Commissioner report amongst health professionals (“I thought I was the only one. The only one in the world”—Office of the Children's Commissioner's Inquiry into child sexual exploitation in gangs and groups interim report November 2012).
	In relation to representation from primary and secondary care on work to combat CSE, “Working Together to Safeguard Children: A Guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children,” published in March 2013, includes statutory guidance on individual services to safeguard children and a framework for local safeguarding children board (LSCB) arrangements. NHS England, clinical commissioning groups, NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts are members of LSCBs. Further supplementary guidance “Safeguarding Children and Young People from Sexual Exploitation” asks LSCBs to consider the local partnerships that would most effectively support implementation of this supplementary guidance.

Palliative Care

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department will commence the review to assess the feasibility of introducing a national choice offer for people who wish to die at home.

Norman Lamb: We remain committed to supporting people's preferences to be cared for and to die at home, and to carry out a review during 2013 to assess the feasibility of introducing such an offer for people. Departmental officials are currently determining how best to undertake the review.

Pharmacy

Andy Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps he is taking to enhance the role of pharmacists as providers of health care services;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the effects of changes to local commissioning arrangements on funding and support for pharmacists to develop their role in giving consultations and prescribing to patients.

Norman Lamb: NHS England has responsibility for commissioning all national health service primary care services, including pharmaceutical services. Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) are free to commission further services from community pharmacies over and above those commissioned by NHS England, and local authorities are able to commission public health services from pharmacies.
	NHS England is currently developing a strategy for all of the services it is responsible for directly commissioning. This includes primary care services— which incorporates pharmaceutical services. It is anticipated that this strategy will be available by the end of 2013.
	Through the strategy, NHS England will be seeking to ensure that it delivers best patient outcomes, quality and best value. As part of the development of the strategy, the role of community pharmacy will be considered so that its potential as a provider of health care services is maximised—given its unique ‘reach’ to patients in England. The strategy will also consider how funding is deployed across pathways of care that might be commissioned by NHS England, CCGs, who are best placed to understand the needs of patients in each local area, and local authorities with their responsibility for public health.
	It is too early in the new commissioning system to make any assessment of the effect of these changes on the development of community pharmacy's role.

Public Expenditure

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the equality impact of his Department's spending reductions since 2010; whether this assessment has been used to inform his planning ahead of the 2013 Comprehensive Spending Review and with what result; what plans he has to publish the equality impact assessments undertaken by his Department as a result of the upcoming Comprehensive Spending Review; and if he will make a statement.

Anna Soubry: The Department considers equality issues in exercising its functions, including in setting priorities within its budget, in order to comply with equality legislation and to ensure it understands how its activities will affect specific groups in society. Between 2010-11 and 2014-15 health funding will have risen by £12.7 billion.
	Specifically, for the 2012 pre-spending round, and spending round 2013 HM Treasury commissioned Departments to provide equalities assessments of their main areas of existing expenditure.
	The Department provided HM Treasury with an equalities assessment of its main areas of expenditure, as well as some additional areas of spending that have particular equalities impacts, both before and during the spending round process.
	The Department's overall spending round submission was informed by its own equality assessments and by the spending round equalities assessment commissioned by HM Treasury.
	The assessment of equalities feeds in to both spending round decisions and future decisions by the Department. The outcome of the spending round will be published on 26 June 2013.
	This Government has been clear that producing formal equality impact assessment documents are not required in order to ensure compliance with the legal responsibility to consider equality impacts.

Termination of Employment

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions (a) a compromise agreement, (b) a confidentiality clause and (c) judicial mediation was used when an employee of (i) his Department and (ii) the public bodies for which he is responsible left their employment in (A) 2010-11, (B) 2011-12 and (C) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Anna Soubry: No officials leaving the Department's employment have been subject to a compromise agreement, confidentiality clause or judicial mediation during 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 respectively.
	The Department's Executive agencies, non-departmental public bodies and special health authorities have provided the following information on compromise agreements, confidentiality clauses and judicial mediation set out in the following tables:
	
		
			 Table 1: Total number of occasions where a compromise agreement was used when an employee left the arm's length bodies (ALBs) employment 
			  Total 
			 2010-11 19 
			 2011-12 56 
			 2012-13 6 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Total number of occasions where a confidentiality clause was used when an employee left the ALB's employment 
			  Total 
			 2010-11 19 
			 2011-12 56 
			 2012-13 6 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 3: Total number of occasions where judicial mediation was used when an employee left the ALB's employment 
			  Total 
			 2010-11 0 
			 2011-12 0 
			 2012-13 2 
		
	
	Compromise agreements and confidentiality clauses should not prevent staff from speaking out on patient safety issues.

Tobacco: EU Law

Ian Paisley Jnr: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what position the UK will take at the EU Health and Consumer Affairs Council in Luxembourg on 21 June 2012 in relation to the EU Tobacco Products Directive;
	(2)  on what occasions Ministers or officials of his Department have met Members of the European Parliament to discuss the EU Tobacco Products Directive; and who was present at each such meeting;
	(3)  what discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues in other departments on his Department's position on the EU Tobacco Products Directive.

Anna Soubry: The United Kingdom lent its support to the proposed Tobacco Products Directive at the European Union Health and Consumer Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg on 21 June 2013 subject to an amendment to Article 24 being made.
	No departmental Minister has met Members of the European Parliament to discuss the Tobacco Products Directive.
	An official from the Department of Health met Ms Linda McAvan MEP, rapporteur for the ENVI Committee, to discuss the Tobacco Products Directive in February 2013, together with an official from the UK Permanent Representation to the EU.
	Officials from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency also met Ms McAvan on 18 March 2013. In addition, they met Ms Rebecca Taylor MEP on 22 April 2013. On both occasions, the meetings were held at the request of the MEP with purpose of briefing them on the work of the Commission on Human Medicines expert group on the regulation of nicotine containing products.
	An official from the MHRA also attended an European Parliament ENVI workshop on e-cigarettes on 7 May 2013, of which there is a public record available at:
	www.europarl.europa.eu/committees/en/envi/events.html?id=workshops#menuzone
	Departmental Ministers have corresponded with Members of the Cabinet's European Affairs Committee regarding the proposed directive.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Arctic

Peter Lilley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 10 June 2013, Official Report, column 20W, on the Arctic, what assessment he has made of the likelihood of the statistical model used by Meier et al. relative to a driftless autoregressive integrated model.

Gregory Barker: I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 10 June 2013, Official Report, column 20W, and note that we have not made any such assessment nor do we plan to commission any.

Electricity: Prices

Andrew McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department has taken to ensure that households which consume small amounts of electricity are not adversely affected by Ofgem's decision that all electricity tariffs must include a standing charge.

Michael Fallon: Ofgem's proposals require suppliers to structure tariffs as a standing charge and unit rate, but they do not specify at what level the standing charge should be set.
	This gives suppliers the freedom to offer tariffs with a low standing charge or even set the standing charge at zero should they wish to offer a tariff targeted at low consuming households.
	Ofgem will require suppliers to calculate the standing charge as a daily charge in pounds and pence. Consumers will therefore be able to compare tariffs more easily and see which tariffs offer the best value in relation to their consumption.

Energy

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he has taken to ensure that energy suppliers have an incentive to meet their obligations to consumers under the (a) Energy Company Obligation scheme and (b) Green Deal scheme.

Gregory Barker: Consumers are protected under the ECO legislation, which for example requires that ECO measures, where appropriate, must be installed to the PAS 2030 standard. Ofgem as administrator of the scheme will ensure these standards are met. All accredited Green Deal businesses must comply with the Green Deal Code of Practice which determines how they work in the interests of consumers. If an organisation is found to be in breach of this code they will be investigated and their accreditation may be revoked.

Energy Companies Obligation

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he has taken to ensure that energy suppliers release Energy Company Obligation grants for hard-to-treat walls promptly and effectively.

Gregory Barker: The energy company obligation (ECO) places a legal requirement on obligated suppliers to deliver carbon and fuel bill savings, which can be achieved through delivering a range of energy efficiency measures. It is a commercial decision for obligated suppliers on how they choose to fulfil their obligations, subject to the rules of the scheme.

Energy: Conservation

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what measures he has taken to ensure that whole-house fuel saving measures are being funded by energy suppliers under the (a) Energy Company Obligation and (b) Green Deal.

Gregory Barker: The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) places a legal requirement on obligated suppliers to deliver carbon and fuel bill savings, which can be achieved through delivering a range of energy efficiency measures. It is a commercial decision for obligated suppliers on how they choose to fulfil their obligations, subject to the rules of the scheme.
	Green Deal assessments are designed to encourage a whole-house approach by recommending all suitable measures for the property and presenting them as a single, cohesive package of improvements.

Energy: Conservation

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how low income households are being encouraged to receive energy efficiency assistance under the Energy Companies Obligation.

Gregory Barker: The ECO places a legal obligation on energy supply companies to deliver a minimum amount of support to low income households and those living in low income areas, through the Affordable Warmth and Carbon Saving Communities obligations. Together these will assist around 230,000 households each year. Obligated energy suppliers can choose how to market these schemes to encourage take-up among low income households.
	In order to assist with this, Government has set-up an independent telephone advice service. Customers who call the Energy, Saving Advice Service (ESAS) and appear eligible for ECO Affordable Warmth assistance will have their eligibility checked with the Department for Work and Pensions and are then referred to a participating energy supplier for a minimum package of assistance.

Energy: Conservation

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the proportion of money used by energy suppliers under the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target and Community Energy Saving Programme programmes solely for identifying Super Priority Group customers.

Gregory Barker: The Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) and Community Energy Saving programme (CESP) were legal obligations on the larger energy companies.
	Energy companies were not required to report costs information, and we do not hold information about delivery costs. However, the final evaluation of both schemes will be published later in 2013 and we intend that this will include an assessment of overall delivery costs.

Energy: Conservation

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what calculations he has made of the potential value of matching household incomes and energy performance certificates data to target households who would benefit from the installation of energy efficiency measures.

Gregory Barker: We have made no assessment of the technical feasibility of matching income and EPC data nor of the potential value of such matching.
	The Government is committed to producing a new fuel poverty strategy. We expect this work to include consideration of how best to target fuel poverty support at those who need it most.

Energy: Housing

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many homes have benefited from the (a) Energy Company Obligation and (b) Green Deal to date.

Gregory Barker: DECC will publish, on 27 June, a monthly Official Statistics publication that will include this information for the energy company obligation and Green Deal.

Fuel Poverty

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether there has been any successful use of data matching to assist energy suppliers in finding households in fuel poverty.

Gregory Barker: Data matching is a key feature of the Warm Home Discount scheme. As a result of matching data held by the Department of Work and Pensions with data held by participating energy suppliers, a large number of pensioners receive automatic electricity bill discounts each year. In 2012-13, over one million low income pensioners received such discounts (worth £130).
	The Government has also taken the steps necessary to allow energy suppliers participating in the scheme to use the results of data-matching under the Warm Home Discount to target energy efficiency measures (for example under the Energy Company Obligation).

Fuel Poverty

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions he has had with his ministerial colleagues in other departments about sharing household data with energy suppliers to ensure a strategic approach to tackling fuel poverty.

Gregory Barker: Data-matching is a key element of the Warm Home Discount scheme. This scheme, which DECC operates jointly with the Department for Work and Pensions, leads to the automatic payment of an electricity bill discount to over one million of the poorest pensioners. Participating energy suppliers can also use the results of data-matching under the Warm Home Discount to target delivery of energy efficiency support (for example under the Energy Company Obligation, ECO).
	DECC also works closely with DWP in the operation of the ECO referrals system, which ensures that customers eligible for ECO support who contact the Energy Saving Advice Service are passed on to participating energy suppliers for a minimum package of assistance.

Green Deal Scheme

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment he has made of the level of bureaucracy in the Green Deal.

Gregory Barker: The Green Deal launched on 28 January 2013. It is being delivered by the private sector, with Government having created a framework within which businesses can operate and consumers are protected. The Department is publishing monthly statistics setting out progress.

Heating

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he plans to take if individual air source heat pumps and ground source heat pumps do not, when installed, reach co-efficients of performance of at least 2.9.

Gregory Barker: Heat pump performance is measured by both the coefficient of performance, which is laboratory efficiency and seasonal performance factor, which is the efficiency over the different seasonal conditions. Minimum requirements for laboratory efficiency are set out in the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS). All MCS heat pumps must meet a minimum coefficient of performance of at least 3.
	The MCS heat pump standard has been recently revised to drive improvements in the performance of heat pump installations.

Heating

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he plans to include gas absorption heat pumps in the next iteration of the Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme.

Gregory Barker: DECC intends to work with industry to build the evidence base and complete the modelling and analysis necessary to evaluate the case for support for these technologies
	My officials have recently met with representatives of the heat driven heat pump industry, which includes gas absorption heat pumps, to discuss the processes and timelines for new technologies to be added to the Renewable Heat Incentive.

Heating

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether gas absorption heat pumps are classifiable as renewable energy heating.

Gregory Barker: Heat driven heat pumps, such as gas absorption heat pumps, are classified as renewable heating technologies in the Renewable Energy Sources Directive providing that they meet the eligibility requirements, including the seasonal performance factor in the final Decision on Annex 7 of the Directive dated 1 March 2013.

Heating

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether gas driven heat pumps are eligible for the Renewable Heat Incentive.

Gregory Barker: Installations using engine driven heat pumps, including those driven by gas engines, may be eligible for the renewable heat incentive if all other requirements of the scheme are met, including achieving a minimum coefficient of performance of 2.9.

Hydrofluorocarbons

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the rate and amount of emissions of refrigerant hydrofluocarbons from (a) gas absorption heat pumps and (b) ground source heat pumps and air source heat pumps powered by electricity.

Gregory Barker: DECC has no specific assessment of the rate of leakage of hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants from gas absorption heat pumps. These heat pumps mostly use ammonia or water as a refrigerant; ammonia heat pumps are designed to ensure zero leakage for safety reasons.
	DECC has commissioned a study on the leakage rate of refrigerants (including hydrofluorocarbons) from a range of electric-powered heat pumps. The study will also examine the impact of proposed EU legislation on the likely uptake of refrigerants with lower global warming potential. The study aims to report in early 2014.

Insulation: Cannock Chase

Aidan Burley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many homes in Cannock Chase constituency have received insulation under his Department's programmes in each of the last three years.

Gregory Barker: The Energy Savings Trust (EST) publishes reports on cavity wall insulation and professionally installed loft insulation delivered through the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) as recorded in the Homes Energy Efficiency Database. The following table shows the number of installations of cavity wall and loft insulation under CERT in each of the last three years for the Cannock Chase constituency, as published by EST. The CERT year runs from the 1 April to 31 March, the final year of CERT runs from l April 2012 to 31 December 2012.
	
		
			 Table 1: Cavity wall and loft insulation delivered under CERT, Cannock Chase constituency 
			  1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2012 1 April 2012 to 31 December 2012 
			 Cavity wall insulation 614 678 680 
			 Loft insulation 794 1,172 1,620 
		
	
	The following table shows the number of installations of insulation measures under Warm Front in the Cannock Chase constituency.
	
		
			 Table 2: Installations of insulation under Warm Front, Cannock Chase constituency 
			  1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2012 1 April 2012 to 31 March 2013 
			 Cavity wall insulation 19 3 — 
			 Loft insulation 19 9 3

Insulation: Housing

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many grants for hard-to-treat wall insulation have been made under the Energy Company Obligation scheme to date.

Gregory Barker: Under the energy company obligation (ECO), obligated energy suppliers are required to meet carbon emission and bill saving targets by promoting the delivery of energy efficiency measures—it is not a grant scheme. For information, DECC will publish, on 27 June, a monthly Official Statistics publication that will cover progress on ECO delivery.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Apprentices

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many apprenticeships have been created in her Department in (a) Barnsley Central constituency and (b) South Yorkshire in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011 and (iii) 2012.

Hugh Robertson: All of the offices for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport are in London and, as such, DCMS has not created any apprenticeships in the Barnsley Central constituency or South Yorkshire in 2010, 2011 or 2012.

Betting Shops

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether her Department or its agencies have commissioned research into any potential relationship between clusters of betting shops and the prevalence of anti-social behaviour; and if she will make a statement.

Hugh Robertson: Antisocial behaviour tends to reflect local circumstances and any research would be most appropriately carried out by agencies in local areas. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport and its agencies have not commissioned research into this area.

Disciplinary Proceedings

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many staff were suspended from her Department and its associated public bodies on full pay in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and what costs were incurred as a result of such suspensions.

Maria Miller: The number of staff suspended and costs incurred are as follows:
	(a) FY 2010-11: two suspensions at a total cost of £31,314 (gross);
	(b) FY 2011-12: two suspensions at a total cost of £11,525 (gross);
	(c) FY 2012-13: one suspension at a total cost of £5,268 (gross).
	The figures provided equate to the individuals' salaries and total costs to the Department during their suspensions.
	The figures at a, b and c reflect that no staff were suspended from the Government Equalities Office on full pay in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13.

Internet

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what technical expertise her Department has to advise Ministers on internet matters.

Edward Vaizey: There are specialist technical advisers, working across Government, on whose technical expertise Ministers draw.

Leicester

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  when she last visited Leicester in an official capacity; how many times and on what dates she has visited Leicester since her appointment; and what plans she has to visit Leicester;
	(2)  on what dates the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries has visited Leicester since his appointment; and when he next plans to visit Leicester.

Maria Miller: I visited Leicester on 14 February, to appear on the BBC show, Question Time. Either I or the Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, my hon. Friend the Member for Wantage (Mr Vaizey), will be sure to visit Leicester in the coming months, as well as all the other candidate cities, to celebrate its success at being short-listed for the title of UK City of Culture 2017.

Sports

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent assessment she has made of the effects of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games on rates of participation in sport.

Hugh Robertson: The latest Active People Survey figures show 15.3 million people, aged 16 and over, are playing sport, at least once a week. That is 1.4 million more than when London won the Olympic and Paralympic bid, and includes an increase of 46,600 in the number of disabled people playing sport, over the past year.

Sports: Schools

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what funding her Department provided to sport in schools in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK in each of the last five years.

Hugh Robertson: As part of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport-led School Games programme, Sport England (SE) will directly invest in the North East £1,574,691 over the period 2010-15. This includes £640,000 to County Sport Partnerships (on behalf of the Local Organising Committees) in the North East, of which £160,000 is for Tyne and Wear to organise, co-ordinate and deliver the Level 3 Sainsbury’s School Games county festivals. In addition, the North East has 27 School Games Organisers, which are jointly funded by the Department of Health and SE. SE's contribution is £934,691 over the period, of which £77,891 is for Tyne and Wear's nine School Games Organisers. In addition, SE has also invested, to date, a total of £8,467,490 in the Place People Play (PPP) programme in the North East. Finally, from September this year, every primary school will receive a ring fenced amount for school sport, averaging out at £9,000 per school across the country.
	Over the period 2008-11, DCMS and the Department for Education jointly funded the £755 million Physical Education and Sport Strategy for Young People (PESSYP). As part of this, £36 million was invested via County Sport Partnerships, to support local community taster sessions for young people aged 11 to 19 through the Sport Unlimited initiative. This included £2,256,646 invested in the North East and £746,844 in Tyne and Wear.

CABINET OFFICE

Big Society Network

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will publish evaluations of the performance of the Big Society Network and its subsidiaries for the programmes for which his Department has directly or indirectly funded; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: As part of the grant to Big Society Network (BSN) under the Social Action Fund, BSN was required by Social Investment Business to produce monitoring reports setting out progress against expected outcomes prior to releasing payment. A copy of the BSN and Sports Leader's UK monitoring report for the Get In campaign was released in May 2013 and a copy has been placed in the House of Common's Library. A final evaluation was not produced, as a decision was made in December 2012 to put the project on hold.
	The Cabinet Office will continue to evaluate Big Society Network's performance in relation to the Big Society Awards.

Construction: Barnsley

Michael Dugher: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people in Barnsley East constituency are employed in the construction sector.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated June 2013
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Minister for the Cabinet Office asking how many people in Barnsley East constituency are employed in the construction sector.
	Annual employment statistics are available from the Business Register and Employment Survey (BRES). The number of people in Barnsley East constituency employed in the construction sector is 1,800, rounded to the nearest 100.
	National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOMIS website at:
	http://www.nomisweb.co.uk

Manufacturing Industries: Barnsley

Michael Dugher: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people in Barnsley East constituency are employed in the manufacturing sector.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated June 2013
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Minister for the Cabinet Office asking how many people in Barnsley East constituency are employed in the manufacturing sector.
	Annual employment statistics are available from the Business Register and Employment Survey (BRES). The number of people in Barnsley East constituency employed in the manufacturing sector is 3,900, rounded to the nearest 100.
	National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOMIS website at:
	http://www.nomisweb.co.uk

Small Businesses: Staffordshire

Aidan Burley: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the number of (a) small and (b) medium-sized businesses that were operating in (i) Cannock Chase constituency and (ii) Staffordshire in each of the last five years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated June 2013
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Minister for the Cabinet Office asking what estimate has been made of (a) small and (b) medium-sized businesses operating in (i) Cannock Chase constituency and (ii) Staffordshire in each of the last five years.
	Annual statistics on the number of businesses (enterprises) are available from the ONS release – UK Business: Activity, Size and Location at:
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/bus-register/uk-business/index.html
	Data on the number of enterprises broken down by districts, counties and unitary authorities within region and country by employment size band can be found in table B1.2 of the publication and data broken down by constituencies can be found in table B6.2.
	The table below contains the count of small and medium-sized businesses that were operating in the Cannock Chase constituency and Staffordshire from 2008 to 2012. Small businesses have been defined as those with an employment between 0 and 49 and medium-sized businesses as those with an employment between 50 and 249.
	
		
			  2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 
			  Small Medium Small Medium Small Medium Small Medium Small Medium 
			 Cannock Chase 3,265 35 3,175 35 2,960 25 2,905 30 2,955 35 
			 Staffordshire 28,985 375 28,690 355 27,805 355 27,345 350 27,665 375 
			 Note: These numbers do not include very small businesses, typically those below the threshold for VAT and PAYE.

Teenage Pregnancy: Cannock Chase

Aidan Burley: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many teenage pregnancies there have been in Cannock Chase constituency in each of the last five years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated June 2013
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question to the Minister for the Cabinet Office asking how many teenage pregnancies there have been in Cannock Chase constituency in each of the last five years [161208].
	This question has been answered using conception statistics to women aged under 18 to represent teenage pregnancies. Conception statistics are estimated for women usually resident in England and Wales and are based on birth registrations and abortion records.
	The number of teenage conceptions is available for the non-metropolitan district of Cannock Chase rather than the parliamentary constituency of Cannock Chase. Figures cannot be provided for parliamentary constituencies because of the risk of disclosing information on conceptions due to small differences with local authority boundaries.
	The latest year for which conception statistics are available is 2011.
	
		
			 Number of conceptions to women aged under 18, Cannock Chase, 2007-11 
			  Number of conceptions 
			 2007 100 
			 2008 112 
			 2009 110 
			 2010 87 
			 2011 73 
			 Source: Office for National Statistics 
		
	
	The number of conceptions to women aged under 18 by area of usual residence, England and Wales 1998-2011 are available on the ONS website (see table 6):
	www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/vsob1/conception-statistics--england-and-wales/2011/rft-conception-statistics-2011.xls

Termination of Employment

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office on how many occasions (a) a compromise agreement, (b) a confidentiality clause and (c) judicial mediation was used when an employee of (i) his Department and (ii) the public bodies for which he is responsible left their employment in (A) 2010-11, (B) 2011-12 and (C) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: As was the case under the previous Administration, the Cabinet Office always considers whether compromise agreements and confidentiality clauses issued by the Department are appropriate and necessary and always ensures that non-disclosure clauses allow disclosure for business needs and the requirements of law, including accountability to Parliament.
	In the last three years, five civil servants in the Cabinet Office signed compromise agreements which contain a non-disclosure clause. We do not know how many were signed prior to 2010 as, unfortunately, records are not available. There have not been any judicially mediated settlements by the Cabinet Office in the last three years. The Government Procurement Service has not used any compromise agreements, confidentiality clauses or judicial mediation during the last three years.
	Until 2012 the Big Lottery Fund had a common practice of issuing compromise agreements to most staff who were dismissed on the grounds of redundancy. This occurred whether the individual's exit from the organisation was contentious or not, but was linked to their access to post employment outplacement benefits. From April 2007 to March 2010 there were 98 compromise agreements issued. During 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 the Fund issued 25, nine and nine compromise agreements respectively. The Big Lottery Fund did not use any confidentiality clauses or judicially mediated settlements in the last three years. Compromise agreements are now only used in appropriate circumstances where there may be a dispute between the Fund and an ex-employee.

Young People

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether data collected in the 2011 Census, relating to the number of 16 to 18-year-olds in the current year and the next 10 years, matches that provided by the Office of National Statistics in its latest sub-national population projections; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated June 2013
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question to the Minister for the Cabinet Office asking whether data collected in the 2011 Census, relating to the number of 16 to 18 year olds in the current year and the next ten years, matches that provided by the Office for National Statistics in its latest sub-national population projections [161605].
	Estimates of future population are available as population projections. The most recent are the Interim 2011-based subnational population projections which are based on mid-2011 population estimates, which are in turn based on 2011 Census estimates.
	However, the Interim 2011-based subnational population projections for England are produced using trend- based assumptions about future levels of fertility, mortality and migration as calculated for the 2010-based subnational population projections which do not incorporate 2011 Census information.
	Subnational population projections are not forecasts and do not attempt to predict the impact of future government policies, changing economic circumstances or the capacity of an area to accommodate a change in population. They provide an indication of the future size and age structure of the population if recent demographic trends continued.
	ONS are planning to release the 2012-based Subnational Population Projections to take account of rebased fertility, migration and mortality assumptions to include results from the 2011 Census, in spring 2014.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Developing Countries: Health Services

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what technical support her Department offers to developing countries to held them achieve universal health coverage.

Alan Duncan: Moving towards universal health coverage requires countries to ensure that all aspects of their health systems—including health workers, medicines and commodities, equipment, financing arid management—are working well. DFID provides technical support directly to countries in ail of these areas. DFID also uses multilateral organisations to provide technical support. For example, DFID is funding the World Health Organization (WHO) to help more than 20 countries develop and implement health financing strategies based on the best available evidence and aimed at achieving universal health coverage. In order to strengthen WHO's own capacity to do this work, DFID has also seconded a health financing specialist to WHO for three years.

Developing Countries: Health Services

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what private health insurance projects her Department has supported in developing countries.

Alan Duncan: DFID has not supported private health insurance projects in developing countries.

EDUCATION

Academies: Romford

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the (a) take up and (b) performance of academies in Romford constituency.

Edward Timpson: As of 20 June 2013, there were four open secondary converter academies in Romford constituency. In addition, there are two schools in the process of becoming academies: one sponsored primary academy and one converter secondary academy.
	Information about the performance of all schools in Romford constituency can be found on the Department's website(1). This information indicates school type, including academies.
	(1)( )http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/performance/

Apprentices

Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on ensuring that individuals with education and health care plans have support and access in to apprenticeships.

David Laws: The reforms in the Children and Families Bill make it clear that young people with special educational needs who have Education, Health and Care Plans will have support and access into apprenticeships. The training provider supporting the young person's apprenticeship will be named in the Plan and the local authority and relevant commissioning body will continue to be responsible for securing and arranging the special educational and health care provision. Young people who are disabled and accessing apprenticeships will be able to apply for additional support from the Department for Work and Pension's Access to Work scheme—regardless of whether they have an Education, Health and Care Plan.
	The Department for Education and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills' Joint Apprenticeship Unit continue to work with the Department for Work and Pensions to ensure that the new SEN Code of Practice provides clear guidance on young people with Education, Health and Care Plans accessing apprenticeships.

Billing

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment his Department has made of the potential financial benefits that could be achieved by paying suppliers early in return for rebates.

Elizabeth Truss: It is Government policy to pay valid invoices within 10 days for small and medium-sized enterprises and 30 days for other types of organisation. The Department for Education aims to pay all organisations within 10 days and the prices we pay reflect this arrangement.
	As part of the tendering process we ask suppliers to provide details of discounts for prompt payment. Where early payment is requested we will carry out a risk assessment and negotiate with suppliers to obtain the best value for money for the Government.

Children: Disability

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to ensure that local authorities improve their support for disabled children and young people.

Edward Timpson: We are introducing wide ranging reforms through the Children and Families Bill to improve provision for children and young people with special educational needs, many of whom will be disabled.
	The Bill includes proposals for local authorities to publish a local offer of services for children and young people with special educational needs.
	The local offer would enable families to see readily what they can expect from mainstream services across education, health and social care; how to access more specialist support; how decisions are made including eligibility criteria for accessing services where appropriate; and how to complain or appeal.
	Local authorities would be required to involve local children and young people with special educational needs and their parents in developing and reviewing their local offer and the special educational and social care services that are available in their area.
	Local authorities, would be required to publish comments from, or on behalf of children, young people and their families on the content of the local offer alongside their response to these comments, they would also be required to keep their local offer under review and up to date in order to ensure that it continued to be responsive to local needs and aspirations.

Children: Internet

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether his Department will continue to be the lead Department on child internet safety.

Edward Timpson: The Department for Education currently provides the Secretariat for the UK Council for Child Internet Safety, the board of which is chaired by Ministers from the Department for Education, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Home Office. Child internet safety is a cross-Government issue which Ministers will keep under review to determine how it can best be addressed.

Children: Protection

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which serious case reviews have been published since 10 June 2010, by (a) date, (b) subject and (c) commissioning local safeguarding children's board.

Edward Timpson: The Department is aware of 58 Serious Case Review (SCR) overview reports which have been published since 10 June 2010. This is in addition to overview reports of the SCRs relating to Peter Connelly in Haringey, the 'J' children in Ellington and Kyra Shaq in Birmingham. The following table gives details of the 58 SCR overview reports by date of publication, subject and the name of the commissioning Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB).
	
		
			 Date published Subject LSCB 
			 1 August 2012 Child X Barnsley 
			 8 April 2013 Child L Barnsley 
			 30 November 2012 Child B Bexley 
			 7 June 2013 Case No. 2011/12-02 Birmingham 
			 31 May 2013 Baby J Bournemouth 
			 18 January 2013 Child B Bracknell Forest 
			 16 August 2011 Child M Bristol 
			 4 September 2012 Child K Bristol 
			 7 May 2013 Baby C Bucks 
			 13 April 2012 Baby A Bury 
			 31 August 2012 Child D Bury 
			 13 December 2012 Child W Coventry 
			 24 April 2013 Child C Dudley 
			 7 June 2013 Child S Durham 
			 28 September 2012 Child Q Durham 
			 20 March 2013 Child R Durham 
			 14 June 2013 Ryan Essex 
			 6 June 2013 Baby A Gateshead 
			 6 January 2012 Child 310 Gloucestershire 
			 5 October 2011 Child D Havering 
		
	
	
		
			 23 May 2012 Child E Havering 
			 1 March 2012 Children B and C Islington 
			 27 July 2012 Ashley Kent 
			 10 December 2012 Amy Kent 
			 24 October 2012 Death of a child aged 2 years and 11 months Kirklees 
			 24 January 2013 Baby J Lanes 
			 10 January 2012 Case A Leicester City 
			 15 August 2012 Baby L Leicester City 
			 22 November 2012 Child R Leicester City 
			 21 June 2013 Family T/S Lincolnshire 
			 10 May 2013 Child D Liverpool 
			 4 December 2012 Child V Manchester 
			 28 February 2013 Child U Manchester 
			 31 May 2013 Callus Medway 
			 26 January 2012 The Sexual Abuse of Pupils in a First School N Somerset 
			 21 January 2013 Child A NE Lincs 
			 28 September 2011 Tammy Nixon Northants 
			 23 July 2012 DN11 Nottinghamshire 
			 14 May 2012 Subject Child Peterborough 
			 11 October 2011 Child G Poole 
			 23 December 2011 Child E Reading 
			 29 May 2012 Child S Rotherham 
			 18 April 2013 Baby D Slough 
			 18 April 2013 Baby A and Baby B Somerset 
			 15 October 2012 Child F Southampton 
			 15 February 2013 SOT12(1) Stoke 
			 21 August 2012 Child L Surrey 
			 6 March 2013 Child A Sutton 
			 28 February 2012 Child K Tameside 
			 4 November 2011 Child 24 Torbay 
			 3 December 2012 Abigail Wakefield 
			 13 June 2013 Christine Wakefield 
			 1 December 2011 Child W2 Walsall 
			 5 April 2012 Child B Waltham Forest 
			 4 May 2012 Child GA Warwickshire 
			 18 March 2013 Child G West Sussex 
			 1 March 2013 Child G Wirral 
			 5 June 2013 W Family (1)— 
			 (1 )Court Reporting Restriction Order in place until 2029 not allowing the identification of anyone in the family or their location. Overview Report published on the Association of Independent LSCB Chairs website as the geographical location of the family cannot be revealed.

Children: Protection

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  which serious case reviews are currently commissioned but unpublished;
	(2)  which serious case reviews have been produced since 10 June 2010 but are subject to (a) a request not to publish and (b) an exemption from the obligation to publish.

Edward Timpson: The information held by the Department is provided by individual Local Safeguarding Children's Boards (LSCB). Statutory guidance sets out the criteria for initiating a Serious Case Review (SCR) and the expectation is that SCRs will be published. The Department does not exempt LSCBs from publishing an SCR. It is for each LSCB to take the decision as to whether or not to publish. From 1 July 2013 a national panel of independent experts will be fully operational. The panel will advise, and where appropriate, challenge LSCBs on any case where an LSCB has concerns about publication of an SCR report and/or intends not to publish an SCR report.
	The Department is aware of 203 SCRs that have been initiated since 10 June 2010. Of those, the overview reports of 58 have been published. 119 SCRs have commenced but are not yet published, for a number of reasons including completion of court proceedings. The Department is aware of 26 cases where LSCBs have said they are not able to publish the SCR overview report because of concerns about protecting the welfare of individuals.

Extended Schools

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  what steps his Department has taken to increase the availability of wrap-around childcare in schools;
	(2)  what guidance he has issued to schools on the provision of wrap-around childcare services since May 2010;
	(3)  what specific funding his Department has provided to increase the availability of wrap-around childcare in schools in each year since May 2005.

Elizabeth Truss: We want to make it easier for out-of-hours provision to be made available on school sites, and to ensure children have fair access to these services. Through the Children and Families Bill we are removing barriers that may be holding schools back from running before and after school and holiday care onsite, either themselves or in partnership with other providers.
	Guidance for schools on providing or commissioning child care before or after the school day has been included in the Governors' Handbook in 2012 and 2013(1).
	Between 2005 and 2011 specific funding was allocated for Extended Services of which child care was one of the five core elements. The Department does not hold information on specific funding for wrap-around child care as funding was not ring-fenced for each of the five elements.
	Between 2005 and 2008 £840 million was allocated to provide extended services in schools. This was paid through the Standards Fund, Sure Start General Grant Revenue and Capital and the Schools Standard Grant.
	Between 2008 and 2011 £1.2 billion was allocated for providing extended services through the Area Based Grant, the Standards Fund and the Single Capital Pot.
	Since April 2011, extended services funding—that the Standards Fund previously provided—has formed part of schools' overall budgets. Head teachers and governors are best placed to decide how to use their budgets to support their pupils.
	(1)( )http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/leadership/governance/b00224781/govhandbook

Extended Schools

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the (a) number and (b) proportion of free schools in England providing (i) breakfast clubs and (ii) after-school clubs.

Elizabeth Truss: The Department has made no estimate of the number and proportion of free schools in England providing breakfast clubs and after-school clubs.

Extended Schools

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the (a) number and (b) proportion of mainstream schools in England providing extended services at (i) 1 May 2010 and (ii) 1 May 2013.

Elizabeth Truss: The Department does not hold information on the number and proportion of mainstream schools in England providing extended services between May 2010 and May 2013.

Free School Meals: Staffordshire

Aidan Burley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of children in (a) Staffordshire and (b) Cannock Chase constituency were eligible for free schools meals in (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools in each of the last three years.

David Laws: Information on the number and percentage of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals in state-funded primary and secondary schools in Cannock Chase constituency, Staffordshire local authority and England is shown in the following tables:
	
		
			 State-funded primary(1, 2) 
			  2011 2012 2013 
			  Number on roll(4, 5) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(4, 5) Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals Number on roll(4, 5) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(4, 5) Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals Number on roll(4, 5) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(4, 5) Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals 
			 England 3,866,885 741,315 19.2 3,941,625 759,040 19.3 4,039,970 774,610 19:2 
			 Staffordshire local authority 57,280 8,064 14.1 57,908 7,952 13.7 59,005 7,980 13.5 
			 Cannock Chase parliamentary constituency 6,881 1,220 17.7 6,871 1,182 17.2 6,946 1,209 17.4 
		
	
	
		
			 State-funded secondary(1, 3) 
			  2011 2012 2013 
			  Number on roll(4, 5) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(4, 5) Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals Number on roll(4, 5) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(4, 5) Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals Number on roll(4, 5) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(4, 5) Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals 
			 England 2,837,825 450,275 15.9 2,809,815 449,485 16.0 2,779,190 452,600 16,3 
			 Staffordshire local authority 49,184 5,189 10.6 48,567 5,199 10.7 47,392 4,965 10.5 
			 Cannock Chase parliamentary constituency 5,748 770 13.4 5,599 752 13.4 5,240 673 12.8 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Includes all primary academies, including free schools. (3) Includes city technology colleges and all secondary academies, including free schools. (4) Includes pupils who are sole or dual main registrations. Includes boarders. In pupil referral units includes pupils registered with other providers and further education colleges. (5) Pupils who have full-time attendance and are aged 15 or under, or pupils who have part-time attendance and are aged between 5 and 15. Source: School Census. National figures have been rounded to the nearest 5.

Human Trafficking: Curriculum

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will consider including awareness of human trafficking in the secondary school curriculum.

Elizabeth Truss: Schools may choose to cover issues related to human trafficking as part of their wider school curriculum or as part of personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education.
	The Government believes that teachers are best placed to understand the needs of their pupils and do not need additional central prescription in this area.

Misuse of Drugs Ministerial Group

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many times Ministers of his Department have attended the inter-ministerial group on drugs since May 2010.

Edward Timpson: Ministers from the Department for Education have attended the inter-ministerial group on drugs six times since May 2010.

Public Expenditure

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the equality impact of his Department's spending reductions since 2010; whether this assessment has been used to inform his planning ahead of the 2013 Comprehensive Spending Review and with what result; what plans he has to publish the equality impact assessments undertaken by his Department as a result of the upcoming Comprehensive Spending Review; and if he will make a statement.

David Laws: Assessment of equalities impact forms part of all decision making, including on the implementation of spending reductions from 2010. Her Majesty's Treasury will publish a document alongside the outcome of the current spending round summarising the overall equalities analysis. When decisions are made on the implementation of spending reductions more detailed analysis will be carried out and considered to inform final decisions on how reductions will be made. Where appropriate, these will be published oh the Department's website.

Pupils: Disadvantaged

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent assessment he has made of the correlation between students who are entitled to free school meals and those who go on to (a) further and higher education and (b) apprenticeships.

David Laws: The following table provides estimates of the proportion of 16- and 17-year-olds participating in (a) education and training, and (b) apprenticeships; and the proportion of young people participating in higher education by the age of 19. In the table, young people are categorised according to whether they were in receipt of free school meals (FSM) at the age of 15.
	
		
			 Participation in education and training, apprenticeships, and higher education by young people who were eligible for free school meals at age 15 
			 Percentage 
			  Academic age 16 Academic age 17 Academic age 19 
			 FSM status at age 15 Education/training of which apprenticeship Education/training of which apprenticeship Higher education 
			 Non-FSM 96 6 90 9 36 
			 FSM 93 5 85 8 18 
			 Total 95 6 89 9 34 
		
	
	The figures for education and training and apprenticeships refer to participation during the academic year 2011/12, and are estimated using the Department for Education's Young Person's Matched Administrative Dataset (YPMAD). Figures for participation in higher education refer to participation during the 2009/10 academic year and are published by BIS in the ‘Widening Participation in Higher Education’ publication (August 2012). Academic age is defined as age at the start of the academic year, 31 August. Estimates relate only to young people whose FSM status at age 15 was known.

Pupils: Disadvantaged

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent discussions he has had with (a) Ofsted and (b) other organisations on possible links between entitlement to free school meals and low attainment levels; and what steps he is taking to address such factors.

David Laws: Ministers meet Her Majesty's Chief Inspector regularly to discuss a range of matters including the performance of pupils entitled to free school meals (FSM). The Government welcomes the recent Ofsted report, “Unseen Children: access and achievement 20 years on”, as a significant contribution to this important issue.
	Taking into account the link between FSM eligibility and low attainment, the Government's allocation methodology for the pupil premium is based principally on numbers of pupils eligible for FSM. The pupil premium channels additional funding to schools of £900 per eligible pupil in 2013-14 and is set to rise to a total of £2.5 billion nationally in 2014-15.

Pupils: Disadvantaged

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he takes to ensure that children who are falling below expected attainment levels in schools otherwise rated by Ofsted as outstanding are receiving appropriate support.

David Laws: The pupil premium, which this year is £1.875 billion of additional funding nationally, is given to schools to help close the attainment gap between pupil premium eligible pupils and their peers. In addition, the year 7 literacy and numeracy catch-up premium provides secondary schools with £500 for each pupil who has not attained the expected level in reading and/or maths by the end of primary school.
	Head teachers have the freedom to decide how to use the additional funding they receive as they are best placed to know the needs of their pupils. A range of measures, including Ofsted inspections, make schools accountable for the decisions they make and the progress of their students. Ofsted will consider, as part of the inspections, whether schools are offering appropriate support to all pupils, including those who are falling below expected attainment levels.
	Ofsted is not currently required to routinely inspect schools that were judged outstanding at their most recent inspection. However, in a speech on 20 June Her Majesty's Chief Inspector made clear that schools previously judged outstanding that are not doing well by their poorest children will be re-inspected by Ofsted.

Pupils: Disadvantaged

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how the pupil premium will be used to improve the education of children attending schools rated by Ofsted as outstanding.

David Laws: The Government is determined that every school should use the pupil premium to close attainment gaps, regardless of either the proportion of disadvantaged pupils on roll, the size of its mainstream budget, its geographical location, or its overall performance.
	It is for head teachers and school leaders to decide which interventions to fund with the pupil premium: they have the necessary professionalism and in-depth knowledge of their own schools and the characteristics and needs of their disadvantaged pupils. They will be held accountable for the decisions they make and the impact they have. This applies as much to those schools rated by Ofsted as “outstanding” as to other schools. Ofsted is not currently required to routinely inspect schools that were “outstanding” at their most recent inspection. However, in a speech on 20 June Her Majesty's Chief Inspector made clear that schools previously judged outstanding, that are not doing well by their poorest children, will be re-inspected by Ofsted.

Pupils: Disadvantaged

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what discussions he has had with (a) Ofsted and (b) other organisations on differences in attainment levels between children in cities and children in rural communities.

David Laws: Ministers meet Her Majesty's Chief Inspector regularly to discuss a range of matters including the differences in attainment levels regionally. The Government welcomed the focus on regional differences in the quality of education in Ofsted's annual report last year and subsequently, the targeted monitoring and support by Ofsted of schools that require improvement, which focuses on raising standards more quickly in schools that are coasting and not meeting the needs of all pupils.
	The recent Ofsted report, “Unseen Children: access and achievement 20 years on”, is also a significant contribution to this important area. The report highlights recent improvements by schools in meeting the needs of disadvantaged children as well as setting out some of the remaining challenges.
	Schools are accountable for the decisions they make, and the progress of their students, through a range of measures including their Ofsted inspection. Ofsted will consider, as part of the inspection, whether schools are offering appropriate support to all pupils, including those who are falling below expected attainment levels. Ofsted is not currently required routinely to inspect schools that were ‘outstanding’ at their most recent inspection. However, in a speech on 20 June Her Majesty's Chief Inspector made clear that schools previously judged outstanding, that are not doing well by their poorest children, will be re-inspected by Ofsted.

Pupils: Disadvantaged

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent assessment his Department has made of the relative attainment levels of students in inner city schools and those in schools in rural areas and coastal towns.

David Laws: Information on pupil attainment at each key stage by the degree of rurality of pupil residence is published each year in the Department's statistical first releases (SFR).
	Early years foundation stage profile (EYFSP) attainment of pupils by the degree of rurality of pupil residence is available in table A2 of the 'EYFSP attainment by pupil characteristics in England: academic year 2011 to 2012 SFR(1).
	Attainment of pupils at key stage 1 by the degree of rurality of pupil residence is available in table A2 of the ‘Phonics screening check and national curriculum assessments at key stage 1 in England: 2012’ SFR(2).
	Key stage 2 attainment of pupils by the degree of rurality of pupil residence is available in table A2 of the ‘National curriculum assessments at key stage 2 in England: academic year 2011 to 2012’ SFR(3).
	Attainment of pupils at key stage 4 by the degree of rurality of pupil residence is available in table A2 of the ‘GCSE and equivalent attainment by pupil characteristics in England: 2011 to 2012’ SFR(4).
	Figures for coastal towns are not published. Officials have estimated that the time it would take to identify pupils resident in coastal towns, evaluate their attainment and quality assure results would incur disproportionate cost.
	Research on seaside towns published in 2008 by the Department for Communities and Local Government(5) found that, in 2006, performance in seaside towns was marginally below the national average. However, none of the seaside towns had an especially low share achieving 5 GCSEs A*-C, compared to some inner urban areas.
	(1 )Available at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/eyfsp-attainment-by-pupil-characteristics-in-england-academic-year-2011-to-2012
	Table A2 can be found within the ‘Pupil residency tables: SFR30/2012’ link.
	(2 )Available at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/phonics-screening-check-and-national-curriculum-assessments-at-key-stage-1-in-england-2012
	Table A2 can be found within the ‘KS1—local authority and pupil residency based tables: SFR21/2012’ link.
	(3 )Available at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-assessments-at-key-stage-2-in-england-academic-year-2011-to-2012
	Table A2 can be found within the ‘Pupil residency and school location based tables: SFR33/2012’ link. Key Stage 2 attainment of pupils by the degree of rurality of school location is also available, in table B1 of this publication, which can be found from the same link as Table A2.
	(4) Available at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/gcse-and-equivalent-attainment-by-pupil-characteristics-in-england
	Table A2 can be found within the ‘Pupil residency and school location based tables: SFR04/2013’ link. Key stage 4 attainment of pupils by the degree of rurality of school location is also available in table B1 of this publication, which can be found from the same link as Table A2.
	(5) Available at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/7624/englishseasidetowns.pdf

Runaway Children

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will require local authorities to conduct return interviews with all children who run away or go missing from home or care, within 72 hours of a missing incident.

Edward Timpson: The Department's statutory guidance ‘Children who run away or go missing from home or care’(1) recommends that local authorities offer young people a return interview within 72 hours of them being located. Interviews should be held to understand and address the reasons why the child went missing and to minimise the risk of them going missing again.
	(1)( )http://www.education.gov.uk/aboutdfe/statutory/g00222839/children-who-run-away-and-go-missing-from-home-or-care
	We have just launched a consultation on the guidance. Details are available at:
	https://www.education.gov.uk/consultations/index.cfm?action=consultationDetails&consultationId=1917 &external=no&menu=1

Schools: Sports

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how he plans to increase the number of children taking part in competitive sport at school.

Edward Timpson: PE is, and will remain, compulsory at all four key stages of the national curriculum and the draft programmes of study released for consultation in February 2013 place a far greater emphasis on competitive sport. We are supporting the cross-Government School Games programme and applaud the positive impact it has had in encouraging more young people to participate in sport.
	During the academic years 2011/12 and 2012/13 we provided £65 million of funding for a PE Teacher Release scheme to enable the release of a PE teacher from every secondary school for one day a week to encourage take-up of competitive sport in local primary schools as well as in their own school.
	In March 2013, the Prime Minister announced additional ring-fenced funding of £150 million per annum for academic years 2013/14 and 2014/15 to support the provision of PE and sport in primary schools. We expect this will also encourage greater pupil participation in competitive sport, including the School Games.

Termination of Employment

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education on how many occasions (a) a compromise agreement, (b) a confidentiality clause and (c) judicial mediation was used when an employee of (i) his Department and (ii) the public bodies for which he is responsible left their employment in (A) 2010-11, (B) 2011-12 and (C) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Elizabeth Truss: The Department for Education will, in line with other employers’ practice, consider use of compromise agreements to settle small numbers of cases of dispute with members of staff, based on a risk assessment and a value for money case.
	The Department also considers using confidentiality clauses in its compromise agreements, but will always assess whether such clauses are appropriate and necessary. Such clauses do not prevent any protected disclosure of issues under whistleblowing legislation.
	Information for the Department is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 
			 Number of compromise agreements where staff have left their employment Less than 5 0 Less than 5 
			 Number of compromise agreements containing a confidentiality clause where staff have left their employment. Less than 5 0 Less than 5 
			 Judicial mediation where staff have left their employment Less than 5 0 0 
		
	
	Totals of less than five are withheld on grounds of confidentiality.
	The Department does not hold this information for its non-departmental public bodies.

UK Council for Child Internet Safety

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list (a) the members of the Executive Board of the UK Council on Child Internet Safety since May 2010 and (b) the dates of each board meeting each such member has attended.

Edward Timpson: The information has been provided in the following table.
	
		
			 UKCCIS executive board membership 
			 Board members Duration of membership Organisation Board meetings attended 
			 John Carr 2008—present CHIS 2010: July and November; 2011: January, March May, July, September, November, December; 2012: April, July, December; 2013: February and May 
			 Peter Robbins 2008—July 2011 IWF 2010: July, September, November; 2011: January, March, May, July 
			 Michael Rawlinson March 2009—May 2011 ELSPA 2010: July and September, 2011: January and March 
			 Wes Cuell March 2009—March 2011 NSPCC 2010: July, September, November; 2011: January 
			 Mike Galvin 2008—April 2012 BT 2010: July, September, November; 2011: January, March, May, July, September, November, December; 2012: April 
			 Dr Mike Short 2008—May 2013 02 2010: July, September, November; 2011: January, March, July, September, November, December; 2012; July, December; 2013: February 
			 Phil Raines 2008—present Scottish Government 2010: July and September; 2011: January, July and September; 2012: July; 2013: February 
			 Chris Burdett 2008—July 2012 Welsh Assembly Government 2010: July, September, November; 2011: May November; 2012: April 
			 Stewart Purvis 2008—September 2010 Ofcom 2010: July 
			 Prof Sonia Livingstone 2008—present LSE 2010: July; 2011: January 
		
	
	
		
			 Joe Godwin 2008—May 2013 BBC 2010: July; 2011: January, September and November; 2012: July and December; 2013: February 
			 Mary MacLeod 2008—February 2012 Family Policy Advisor 2010; July, September, November; 2011: January, March, May, July, November 
			 Jim Gamble March 2009—March 2011 CEOP None 
			 Matthew Bishop March 2009—November 2010 Microsoft None 
			 Andy Roberts November 2010—March 2011 Director of Children's Services (DCS) 2010: November; 2011: January 
			 Chris Woolard September 2010—November 2012 Ofcom (replaced Ofcom) 2010: September; 2011 January, March, May, July, September, November; 2012: July 
			 Fergal Bradley September 2010—March 2011 Northern Ireland Assembly (additional member) None 
			 Richard Allan November 2010—March 2012 Facebook (additional member) 2010: November; 2011: January, November, December 
			 Elizabeth Kanter November 2010—present RIM Blackberry (additional member) 2010: November; 2011: January, March, May, July, September, November; 2012: April, July, December; 2013: February and May 
			 Matt Lambert November 2010—December 2011 Microsoft (replaced Microsoft) 2011: March, May, July, September, November 
			 John Grounds March 2011—November 2012. NSPCC (replaced NSPCC) 2011: March, May, July, September, November, December; 2012: April and July 
			 Peter Davies March 2011—present CEOP (replaced CEOP) 2011; May and July; 2012: July, and December; 2013: February and May 
			 Andy Barker July 2011—February 2012 UKIE (replaced UKIE, formerly ELSPA) 2011: July, September, November, December 
			 Peter Lewis July 2011—November 2011 Director of Children's Services (replaced DCS) None 
			 Susie Hargreaves September 2011—present IWF (replaced IWF) 2011: September; 2012: July, and December; 2013: February and May 
			 Scott Dodds February 2012—present Microsoft (replaced Microsoft) 2012: December; 2013: February 
			 Simon Milner April 2012—present Facebook (replaced Facebook) 2012: April, July, December; 2013: February, May 
			 Jo Twist April 2012—present UKIE (replaced UKIE) 2012: April, July, December; 2013: May 
			 Will Gardner April 2012—present Safer Internet Centre (additional member) 2011: September and November; 2012: April, July, December; 2013: February and May 
			 David Happy April 2012—present Samsung (additional member) 2012: April, July. December, 2013: February and May 
			 Simon Hampton April 2012—October 2012 Google (additional member) 2012: April and July 
			 Vicki Shotbolt July 2012—present The Parentzone (additional member) 2012: July and December; 2013: February, May 
			 Sue Warrington July 2012—May2013 Headteacher (replaced DCS representative) 2012: July; 2013: February 
			 Andrew Uden July 2012—present Tesco (additional member) 2012: July and December; 2013: February and May 
			 Dido Harding July 2012—present TalkTalk (additional member) 2012: July and December; 2013: February and May 
			 Julian Ashworth December 2012—present BT (replaced Google) 2012: December; 2013: February and May 
			 Peter Liver December 2012—present NSPCC (replaced NSPCC) 2012: December; 2013: February and May 
			 Claudio Pollack December 2012—present Ofcom (replaced Ofcom) 2012: December; 2013: February and May 
			 Lindsay Harvey December 2012—present Welsh Assembly Government 2012: December 
			 David Cooke May 2013—present BBFC (replaced 02) 2013: May 
			 Dave Miles May 2013—present FOSI (replaced BCC) 2013: May

WORK AND PENSIONS

Anti-Slavery Day

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have to mark Anti-Slavery Day on 18 October 2013; and if he will take steps to ensure that officials in his Department are offered an opportunity to be involved in various events organised by (i) his Department, (ii) local authorities and (iii) non-governmental organisations.

Mark Hoban: The Department for Work and Pensions has no plans to mark Anti-Slavery Day 2013 nationally, but this does not prevent staff in our local office network planning activities. While we do not keep central records of local plans, the Department's national staff network group invite staff to share information about local events to mark such occasions and this material is published on the Department's internal website. This information would include details about activity in other Government Departments, local authorities and non-governmental organisations.

Billing

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment his Department has made of the potential financial benefits that could be achieved by paying suppliers early in return for rebates.

Mark Hoban: The Department has committed to prompt payment of invoices to suppliers. We have committed to adhere to a ‘Prompt Payment Code’ whereby invoices are paid on receipt, but no later than 30-days of receipt. This enables the Department to secure excellent commercial deals with its suppliers resulting in the Department achieving significant savings. We have therefore not conducted a separate assessment.

Cattle: Accidents

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have been killed by cattle in each of the last 30 years.

Mark Hoban: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) holds details of fatal injuries to workers and members of the public on farms reported to it under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (as amended) (RIDDOR).
	Details of the number of deaths involving workers and members of the public in agriculture due to cattle in each of the years from 1996-97 to 2010-11 are set out in the following table.
	The data for the period before 1996-97 are not readily available and as a result of changes to the accident reporting systems introduced to RIDDOR comparable data cannot be provided from 2011-12 onwards.
	
		
			 RIDDOR reported fatal injuries due to cattle in agriculture for the years 1996-97 to 2010-11 
			  Employee Self-employed Member of the public Total 
			 1996-97 0 3 0 3 
			 1997-98 0 6 1 7 
			 1998-99 2 2 2 6 
			 1999-2000 1 3 2 6 
			 2000-01 0 1 0 1 
			 2001-02 2 1 1 4 
			 2002-03 0 2 0 2 
			 2003-04 0 1 1 2 
			 2004-05 0 3 0 3 
			 2005-06 0 2 2 4 
			 2006-07 3 6 2 11 
			 2007-08 0 3 0 3 
			 2008-09 0 1 2 3 
			 2009-10 0 3 2 5 
			 2010-11 1 4 2 7 
			 Total 9 41 17 67

Employment Schemes: Young People

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he plans to publish figures for the number of wage incentive payments being made to employers through the Youth Contract.

Mark Hoban: The first set of figures for the number of wage incentive payments being made to employers through the Youth Contract will be published on 22 July 2013.

Employment Schemes: Young People

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the extent to which Youth Contract wage incentive payments are made to employers who would not have otherwise taken on a young employee.

Mark Hoban: Jobcentres and Work programme providers distribute claim forms to employers when an eligible young person starts in an eligible job and it is clear the wage incentive influenced the decision to hire. When employers claim the funding they must agree to the terms and conditions of the scheme which stipulate they would not have been in a position to hire the young person without the incentive.

Employment: Disability

Jim Sheridan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment his Department has made of the numbers of disabled people likely to return to work as a consequence to changes to disability benefits and the Work Programme.

Mark Hoban: The Department has not made assessments about the number of disabled people likely to return to work as a consequence of the Work programme. Personal independence payment began to replace disability living allowance for people aged 16 to 64 from 8 April 2013. No assessment has been made on the numbers of people likely to return to work as a result of the introduction of personal independence payment.

Employment: Graduates

Jake Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent steps his Department has taken to help graduates into work.

Mark Hoban: Jobcentre Plus is geared-up to offer advice to everyone who is looking for work—irrespective of background, profession or occupation. Through Jobcentre Plus, individuals can get advice on finding a job; help with retraining or skills advice, CV and job applications and access to the thousands of new vacancies we record every day. They can also access a range of tailored opportunities to improve their likelihood of entering or re-entering the labour market, including demand-led training for higher skilled jobs in specific sectors.
	Jobcentre Plus provides numerous leads and good practice ideas to help people direct their job search in the most effective manner and has built up a substantial network of links with external training providers and other organisations such as universities and colleges. We have improved online signposting for graduates, managers and professionals looking to use our services to other sources of specialist help.
	The Work programme will also provide personalised support for those at risk of becoming long-term unemployed.

Food Banks

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 11 June 2013, Official Report, column 304W, on food banks, if he will take steps to record all referrals made by Government agencies for people to receive emergency food aid or visit food banks.

Mark Hoban: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Hampstead and Kilburn (Glenda Jackson) on 6 June 2013, Official Report, column 1266W, and on 12 June 2013, Official Report, column 373W.

Future Jobs Fund: Coastal Areas

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many jobs were created in each of the principal seaside towns under the Future Jobs Fund in each year of that Fund's existence.

Mark Hoban: The Department does not hold information on the number of jobs created in each of the principal seaside towns under the Future Jobs Fund in each year of that fund's existence.
	However, the number of starts on a FJF placement by region is available on:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/195961/ypg_oct2011.pdf.pdf

Housing Benefit

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance he has given to local authorities on the granting of discretionary housing benefit to households which include a resident who has had an organ transplant; and if he will make a statement.

Steve Webb: The Discretionary Housing Payment Guidance does not specifically refer to people with organ transplants, as this may not always be a relevant factor when considering an award.
	Throughout the guidance local authorities are advised that when considering whether or not to make an award, they should have regard to the claimant's or their families' individual circumstances. This includes any extra needs they may have due to medical problems.

Jobcentre Plus

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many complaints he has received relating to the performance of Jobcentre Plus offices (a) in Ashfield constituency, (b) in Nottinghamshire and (c) nationally in each year since 2008.

Mark Hoban: DWP do keep records which show the overall number of complaints it receives and whether the complaints are about, for example, their decisions, Government policy, benefit payments. DWP's complaint categories do not cover the specific performance of its offices and therefore we are unable to provide the figures requested.

Personal Independence Payment

Craig Whittaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what training Personal Independence Payment assessors receive on multiple and complex conditions.

Esther McVey: The Department requires the health professionals carrying out personal independence payment assessments to have a broad training in disability analysis, as well as training in specific conditions, including multiple and complex conditions. Both organisations providing the assessment have to conform to a rigorous set of standards regarding staff recruitment, which are being closely monitored by the Department for Work and Pensions. It should be noted that health professionals are not undertaking a diagnostic assessment, but one which will look at the impact of conditions and impairments on individuals’ everyday lives.

Public Expenditure

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the equality impact of his Department's spending reductions since 2010; whether this assessment has been used to inform his planning ahead of the 2013 Comprehensive Spending Review and with what result; what plans he has to publish the equality impact assessments undertaken by his Department as a result of the upcoming Comprehensive Spending Review; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: DWP considers equality issues in exercising its functions, including in setting priorities within its budget, in order to comply with equality legislation and to ensure it understands how its activities will affect specific groups in society.
	The Department's overall spending round submission was informed by its own equality assessments and by the SR equalities assessment commissioned by HMT.
	The Department has produced and published equality impact assessments to accompany all major policy reforms since 2010. These are updated in light of policy changes or updates to economic assumptions, as required.
	DWP has provided HM Treasury with an equalities assessment of its main areas of expenditure, as well as some additional areas of spending that have particular equalities impacts, both before and during the spending round process.
	The Department publishes an annual report inline with its public sector equality duty, to demonstrate its compliance with the duty. The report provides information on how DWP policies and practices, as well as its own workforce, perform in relation to the nine protected groups under the Equality Act 2010. The next report will be published on the 12 of July.
	This Government has been clear that producing formal equality impact assessment documents are not required in order to ensure compliance with the legal responsibility to consider equality impacts. The outcome of the Spending Round will be published on 26 June 2013.

Social Security Benefits

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many benefit claims were submitted for each benefit in each of the last 12 months for which figures are available; how many claimants applied for such benefits; and what estimate he has made of the number of claimants who applied for more than one benefit in that period.

Mark Hoban: The number of benefit claims that were received for each benefit in each of the last 12 months are shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Table (a): Benefit claims received 
			 Number 
			  AA CA DLA ESA IS JSA PC SP 
			 2012         
			 June 23,040 19,152 33,379 57,107 28,180 243,101 13,352 50,937 
			 July 26,383 21,685 37,113 68,521 32,026 312,335 14,846 53,899 
			 August 25,554 19,120 24,091 65,262 31,200 288,360 16,453 61,919 
			 September 22,375 20,154 31,472 64,018 30,544 295,689 14,861 54,044 
			 October 29,678 24,350 41,822 72,220 35,208 320,215 18,168 63,355 
			 November 25,834 21,968 36,300 76,691 32,944 288,057 15,728 52,330 
			 December 18,810 15,905 28,079 56,847 23,784 215,683 10,829 37,031 
			          
			 2013         
			 January 24,069 22,300 33,252 74,452 28,994 330,912 19,669 78,394 
			 February 23,725 20,178 35,338 69,832 28,472 272,140 15,594 54,767 
			 March 26,588 18,688 38,017 64,562 26,762 232,818 15,280 55,597 
			 April 25,110 21,942 35,509 66,754 28,141 236,190 13,571 51,242 
			 May 22,911 20,682 29,775 69,197 28,816 226,510 15,770 62,211 
		
	
	We are unable to provide an estimate of the number of claimants who applied for such benefits or the number of claimants who applied for more than one benefit as our management information systems do not report this level of detail and to do so would be at disproportionate cost.
	Source:
	Management Information System Programme (MISP). MISP is a departmental performance management, data capture and reporting tool. This type of internal management information does not form part of the official statistics outputs that are released by the Department in accordance with the UK Statistics Authority's Code of Practice.
	Department for Work and Pensions—RDA60201 report—Disability Living Allowance Management Information Statistics.

Social Security Benefits

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to ensure that claimant data can be shared when two or more separate benefit claims are made by the same claimant.

Mark Hoban: The Department has robust checks in place to protect benefit systems against fraud.
	When a benefit claim is made, our Department's IT systems can identify duplicate claims where there is shared information such as national insurance number, address or date of birth. We also data match with HMRC and local authorities to ensure information is consistent.
	Claimants to benefit need to prove their identity at a number of intervention points, including at the start of their claim to benefit and during any ongoing contact with the Department. This process includes document examination checks to ensure the authenticity of any documentary evidence provided in support of an application; and corroborative checks with third parties, including other Government Departments, to verify information supplied.
	The Department is developing an Integrated Risk and Intelligence Service (IRIS), which will be a central hub of data and intelligence to support counter-fraud activity, and also to reduce error. Stage 1 IRIS went live along with the Universal Credit Pathfinder on 29 April.

Social Security Benefits: Alcoholic Drinks and Drugs

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people who claim (a) employment and support allowance, (b) disability living allowance and (c) incapacity benefit have alcoholism or drug abuse as their main disabling condition.

Mark Hoban: The information requested is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance (IB/SDA), employment support allowance (ESA) and disability living allowance (DLA) recipients with alcoholism and/or drug abuse recorded as the main disabling condition—Great Britain, November 2012 
			  Alcoholism Drug abuse Alcoholism and drug abuse 
			 IB/SDA 17,980 14,290 — 
			 ESA 36,500 23,030 — 
			 DLA — — 21,620 
			 Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10."—" denotes not applicable. 2. To qualify for incapacity benefit claimants have to undertake a medical assessment of incapacity for work called a personal capability assessment. Under the employment support allowance regime, new claimants have to undergo the work capability assessment. From April 2011 incapacity benefit recipients began also to undertake this assessment. The medical condition recorded on the claim form does not itself confer entitlement to incapacity benefit or employment support allowance. So, for example, a decision on entitlement for a customer claiming IB or ESA on the basis of drug abuse would be based on their ability to carry out the range of activities assessed by the personal/work capability assessment; or on the effects of any associated mental health problems. 3. Incapacity benefit was replaced by employment support allowance (ESA) from October 2008. 4. Medical condition is based on evidence provided at the start of the claim, this in itself does not confer entitlement to IB/SDA or ESA and may not represent a claimants most recent medical condition. Please also note that where someone has more than one diagnosis or disabling condition only the predominant one is currently recorded. 5. DLA case loads give the number of people in receipt to DLA and so excludes people where the payment has been suspended, for example if they are in hospital. 6. A diagnosed medical condition does not mean that someone is automatically entitled to DLA. Entitlement is dependent on an assessment of how much help someone needs with personal care and/or mobility because of their disability. For example, a customer would not be awarded DLA on the basis of a diagnosis of drug/alcohol abuse the decision is based upon the care/supervision and difficulty getting around as a result of the substance dependency and any associated physical or psychological complications. These statistics are only collected for administrative purposes. 7. For DLA it is not possible to break down drug abuse or alcoholism into separate categories. Source: DWP Information Directorate 100% WPLS

Social Security Benefits: Alcoholic Drinks and Drugs

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the likely number of (a) personal independence payment and (b) employment and support allowance claimants in 2017 with alcoholism or drug abuse as their main disabling condition.

Mark Hoban: We do not forecast numbers of claimants by medical condition.

Social Security Benefits: Drugs

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many people claiming (a) jobseeker's allowance and (b) income support are problem drug users;
	(2)  if he will estimate expenditure on benefit claimants who are problem drug users.

Mark Hoban: The information concerning the number of people claiming jobseeker's allowance or income support who are problem drug users is not readily available and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	We cannot therefore provide complete estimates of expenditure for benefit claimants who are problem drug users for these benefits. In addition disability living allowance is only available jointly for alcoholism and drug abuse categories. The information we have is included in the following table:
	
		
			 £ million 
			  Expenditure 2011-12 
			  Drug users All 
			 Incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance 38.1 5,820.7 
			 Employment support allowance 51.6 3,554.1 
			 Disability living allowance and attendance allowance 7.8 17,905.2 
			  97.4 27,279.9 
			 Notes: 1. Severe disablement allowance is included alongside incapacity benefit. 2. Expenditure figures are rounded to the nearest £100,000. 3. Expenditure below £50,000 is shown as #. 4. Incapacity benefit began to be replaced by employment support allowance (ESA) from October 2008. employment and support allowance also replaced income support for those in receipt of incapacity benefit or incapacity national insurance credits. Information on income support spending is not included in this analysis. 5. Medical condition is based on evidence provided at the start of the claim. This in itself does not confer entitlement to the benefit and may not represent a claimant's most recent medical condition. Please also note that where someone has more than one diagnosis or disabling condition, only the predominant one is currently recorded. 6. May not add due to rounding.

Social Security Benefits: Fraud

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people employed in (a) his Department and (b) the agencies for which he is responsible have been convicted of benefit fraud.

Mark Hoban: The Department for Work and Pensions treats fraud of the benefits system extremely seriously and does not tolerate any fraud by employees. We have rigorous processes for preventing and detecting fraud by employees within the Department.
	Fraud against the benefits system is regarded as gross misconduct under the Department's disciplinary policy. The normal penalty for gross misconduct is dismissal. The Department's computer system records dismissals due to gross misconduct but does not sub-categorize misconduct into convictions for benefit fraud; consequently the information requested is not available.

Termination of Employment

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on how many occasions (a) a compromise agreement, (b) a confidentiality clause and (c) judicial mediation was used when an employee of (i) his Department and (ii) the public bodies for which he is responsible left their employment in (A) 2010-11, (B) 2011-12 and (C) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: The information in respect of the Department is not available because it is not collated centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Such information that is available is as follows:
	
		
			 DWP departmental public bodies 
			  2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 
			 Compromise Agreements(1) 53 79 52 
			 Judicial mediation 1 1 1 
			 (1) All compromise agreements included a confidentiality clause. There were no other confidentiality clauses.

Universal Credit

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he plans to publish the caseload figures for the universal credit pathfinder.

Mark Hoban: I refer the right hon. Member to the reply I provided him with on 21 May 2013, Official Report, column 675W, and 6 June 2013, Official Report, column 1253W.
	The Department is working to guidelines set by the UK Statistics Authority to ensure we are able to publish statistics that meet high quality standards at the earliest opportunity. We intend to publish Official Statistics on pathfinder areas in autumn 2013.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what written information claimants will receive on the breakdown of their universal credit entitlements; how frequently such information will be provided; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: Claimants will receive a universal credit decision letter at the point their claim has been determined which will explain their single new universal credit payment, when it will be paid each month and how it has been calculated.
	The breakdown will include which elements they are eligible for, the amounts and how any earnings, income or other deductions have affected their payment.
	Further decision letters will be issued following any changes in claimant's circumstances that affect the elements or amount they receive.

Universal Credit

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the amount that will be spent on universal credit in (a) this year and (b) each of the next four financial years.

Mark Hoban: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 3 June 2013, Official Report, column 1053W, on 15 May 2013, Official Report, column 329W and on 13 June 2013, Official Report, column 425W.
	Of the £2 billion budget, spend in 2011-12 was 5%, and in 2012-13 16%. Plans continue to be developed to support the gradual roll-out from autumn 2013 within budget.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost to the public purse of introducing a universal credit second earner disregard at (a) 30 per cent and (b) 50 per cent of the first earner disregard.

Mark Hoban: Introducing a universal credit second earner work allowance at (a) 30% of the first earner work allowance would cost around £750 million per year in steady state in 2014-15 prices; at (b) 50% of the first earner work allowance would cost around £1,300 million per year in steady state in 2014-15 prices.
	The figures above do not take account of the potential dynamic effects from these changes.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost to the public purse of increasing the level of universal credit earnings disregard by (a) 10 per cent, (b) 20 per cent and (c) 30 per cent.

Mark Hoban: Increasing the level of universal credit work allowances for all claimants by (a) 10% would cost around £900 million per year in steady state in 2014-15 prices; by (b) 20% would cost around £1,850 million per year in steady state in 2014-15 prices; by (c) 30% would cost around £2,750 million per year in steady state in 2014-15 prices.
	The figures above do not take account of the potential dynamic effects from these changes.

Universal Credit: Lancashire

Jake Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many families in (a) Blackburn with Darwen and (b) Rossendale local authority area receive universal credit.

Mark Hoban: Blackburn with Darwen and Rossendale local authority areas are not within the universal credit pathfinder area therefore residents are unable to claim universal credit at this time.

Work Programme

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Work programme providers have been put on special measures as a result of poor performance in each of the last two years.

Mark Hoban: Seven formal contract letters requiring Work programme providers to improve performance were issued in November 2012 to the five providers responsible for delivering those contracts.
	To tie in with the release of Work programme statistics on 27 June 2013 I will inform the House of further steps we are taking to drive up provider performance.